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Questions and Answers
Which of the following are the most common APIs?
What is a process?
A program in execution.
Which of the following are categories of system calls?
An application programmer prefers programming according to an API rather than invoking actual system calls.
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What is the role of the kernel in an operating system?
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The API specifies a set of functions that are available to an application programmer, including the parameters that are passed to each function and the ______.
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What are some activities involved in memory management?
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Which of the following activities are part of disk management?
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What is typically required for process termination?
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Study Notes
System Calls and APIs
- System calls provide a programming interface to operating system services, facilitating interaction between applications and the OS.
- Applications mainly use high-level APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) instead of direct system calls for easier programming.
- Common API types include:
- POSIX API for UNIX/Linux and macOS systems.
- Windows API for Windows operating systems.
- Java API for Java virtual machines.
Types of System Calls
- System calls are categorized into six major types:
- Process Control: Managing process creation, termination, and scheduling.
- File Manipulation: Operations involving files and directories.
- Device Manipulation: Interfacing with hardware devices.
- Information Maintenance: Managing system and process information.
- Communications: Facilitating inter-process communication.
- Protection: Ensuring security and access controls.
Kernel Structure
- The operating system kernel is divided into parts:
- Process Management: Handles execution and resource allocation for processes.
- Memory Management: Controls memory allocation, ensuring program data and instructions are loaded into memory efficiently.
- Storage Management: Manages data stored on disk, involves free-space management and disk scheduling.
- Device Control and I/O Subsystem: Manages communication with peripheral devices.
- Protection and Security: Safeguards system integrity and data security.
Process Management
- A process is an active entity representing a running program, requiring resources such as CPU time, memory, and input/output facilities.
- Key activities in process management include:
- Scheduling processes and threads on CPUs.
- Creating and deleting both user and system processes.
- Suspending and resuming processes.
- Providing synchronization and communication mechanisms for processes.
Memory Management
- Effective memory management is crucial for program execution, as all necessary instructions and data must reside in memory at some point.
- Key functions of memory management include:
- Keeping track of memory usage and allocation.
- Deciding which processes/data to load into or evict from memory.
- Allocating and deallocating memory space as required.
Storage Management
- Disk storage is used for data that exceeds main memory capacity or needs long-term retention.
- Storage management involves:
- Managing free-space on disks.
- Allocating storage for files and directories.
- Scheduling disk access for efficiency.
- The OS provides an abstracted, logical view of storage, representing files as collections of related information organized in directories, mapped to physical storage media.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamentals of system calls and APIs within operating systems. It covers various types of system calls, their categories, and the role of high-level APIs in simplifying interactions between applications and the OS. Test your knowledge on how these components function and interact.
