Advanced Operating Systems Introduction - Chapter 1 Quiz

Course Outline: Advanced Operating Systems

• The course covers topics such as inter-process communication, process scheduling, naming and location management, canonical problems and solutions, resource sharing, replication, and consistency, fault-tolerance, security, and distributed file systems.

Definition of a Distributed System

• A distributed system is a collection of independent computers that appear to users as a single coherent system.
• It consists of multiple connected CPUs working together, with each computing element/node being either a hardware device or a software process.
• Examples include parallel machines and networked machines.

Middleware in Distributed Systems

• Middleware is a layer that extends over multiple machines, offering each application the same interface.
• It enables distributed parts of the same application to communicate.
• Middleware is similar to an operating system, but services are offered in a networked environment.

Design Goals of Distributed Systems

• Easily connect users and resources.
• Exhibit distribution transparency.
• Support openness.
• Be scalable in terms of size, geography, and administration.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Distributed Systems

• Advantages: communication and resource sharing, economics, reliability, scalability, and potential for incremental growth.
• Disadvantages: distribution-aware programming languages, operating systems, and applications, as well as security and privacy concerns.

Transparency in Distributed Systems

• Access transparency: hide differences in data representation and resource access.
• Location transparency: hide resource location.
• Migration transparency: hide resource movement.
• Relocation transparency: hide resource movement during use.
• Replication transparency: hide resource sharing.
• Concurrency transparency: hide resource sharing.
• Failure transparency: hide resource failure and recovery.
• Persistence transparency: hide whether a resource is in memory or on disk.

Scalability Limitations

• Examples of centralized services, data, and algorithms.
• Scaling techniques: dividing the DNS name space into zones.

Characteristics of Decentralized Algorithms

• No machine has complete information about the system state.

Cloud Computing Systems

• A collection of computer resources connected together to provide scalable, on-demand access to a shared pool of computing resources.
• Characteristics: location independence, cost-effectiveness, reliability, scalability, and security.
• Examples: Amazon EC2, Google App Engine, IBM Enterprise Data Center, MS Windows Azure, and SUN Cloud.

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

• Role of a TP monitor in distributed systems.

Ubiquitous Systems

• Characteristics: distribution, interaction, context awareness, autonomy, and intelligence.
• Examples: mobile computing, sensor networks, and electronic health care systems.

Mobile Computing

• Characteristics: many devices, simplicity, battery power, and changing location.
• Keyword: discovery.

Sensor Networks

• Characteristics: many nodes, simplicity, and battery power.

Electronic Health Care Systems

• Questions to be addressed: data storage, data loss prevention, infrastructure, online feedback, robustness, and security.
• Examples: monitoring a person in a pervasive electronic health care system using a local hub or continuous wireless connection.

Test your knowledge on the introductory concepts of Advanced Operating Systems, including topics like inter-process communication, processes scheduling, naming, and location management. This quiz covers material from Chapter 1 of CPCS 602 course taught by Dr. Rehab Qarout.