Batch Processing in Operating Systems

10 Questions

What is the main purpose of spooling in operating systems?

To overlap I/O operation for one job with processor operations for another job

In the context of operating systems, what does a process refer to?

A program in execution

Which section of a process contains method/function parameters and local variables?

Stack

What is the purpose of the Heap section in a process?

Dynamically allocated memory to a process during runtime

Which part of a process includes the value of Program Counter and processor's registers?

Text

What defines a computer program in the context of coding?

A collection of instructions that performs specific tasks when executed by a computer

How would you describe the role of CPU scheduling in multitasking environments?

To allocate time to different processes so that all can make progress

What is the primary function of a time-sharing system in an operating environment?

Allows multiple users to share the computer simultaneously

Which term describes the capability of an operating system to execute multiple processes concurrently?

Multiprogramming

What is the role of batch processing in operating systems?

Execution of non-interactive tasks in bulk without user interaction

Study Notes

Batch Processing

A method where the operating system groups programs and data together before running them.
Allows the OS to efficiently handle multiple tasks without constant user intervention.
Jobs are submitted and processed in order, with their outputs stored for later use.
The OS defines a job as a single unit with a predefined sequence of commands, programs, and data.
The OS keeps a number of jobs in memory and executes them without any manual intervention.
Jobs are processed in the order of submission, i.e., first come first served fashion.
Spooling is capable of overlapping I/O operation for one job with processor operations for another job.

Multitasking

The execution of multiple jobs by the CPU simultaneously by switching between them.
Switches occur so frequently that the users may interact with each program while it is running.
An OS handles multitasking by allowing multiple operations/executes multiple programs at a time.
Multitasking Operating Systems are also known as Time-sharing systems.
Each user has at least one separate program in memory.
The OS handles multitasking in a way that it can handle multiple operations/executes multiple programs at a time.

Processes of an Operating System

A process is a program in execution.
The execution of a process must progress in a sequential fashion.
When a program is loaded into memory, it becomes a process which performs all the tasks mentioned in the program.
A process can be divided into four sections: Stack, Heap, Text, and Data.
The Stack contains temporary data such as method/function parameters, return address, and local variables.
The Heap is dynamically allocated memory to a process during its run time.
The Text includes the current activity represented by the value of Program Counter and the contents of the processor's registers.
The Data section contains the global and static variables.

Programs

A computer program is a collection of instructions that performs a specific task when executed by a computer.
A program is a piece of code which may be a single line or millions of lines.
Computer programs are usually written by a computer programmer in a programming language.