Ateneo - UPO

Introduction to operating system, process management, process synchronization and concurrent programming, memory management. Process management and synchronization in Unix.

Andrew S. Tanenbaum & Herbert Bos, "Modern Operating Systems: Global Edition, 5/E", Pearson, 2023. ISBN-13: 9781292459660.
Also available in Italian: Andrew S. Tanenbaum & Herbert Bos, "I moderni sistemi operativi, 5/Ed," Pearson, 2023. ISBN: 9788891931955.

The module aims to show the features of modern operating systems, to illustrate its main components, their organization and provided services. In particular will be analyzed: (1) process and thread management, (2) communication and synchronization and (3) memory management.

The contents of a first course in computer architecture and in programming.

Standard lectures and programming sessions in the computer lab.

Learning process monitoring: during the course the students will complete assignments in the computer lab under the supervision of a teacher.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can requestspecific se rvices and tools via the "Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento
Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti", consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities.
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Written exam consisting in 4-6 theoretical questions or assignments on different course topics and 1-3 programming assignments. Each question or assignments is graded with a score according to the correctness and completeness of the answer given by the student. The final grade is the sum of the scores obtained on the single questions and assignments.
Exam is passed only when a minimal score is achieved in both the theoretical and programming parts.

General notions on the architecture of a multi-user system. Operating system kernel. Process and thread management. Process and thread synchronization, concurrent Programming. Deadlocks. Memory management. Processes in the Unix systems. General notions on Unix system calls. System calls for process management, thread library. System calls and library functions for process and thread synchronization.

Achievement of the learning targets, as measured by the examination grade.
Knowledge and understanding: Understanding the role and the main principles of operating systems, providing basic notions on process management and memory management.

Applying knowledge and understanding: Applying the general principles in a real system, in particular, using Unix system calls.

Making judgments: students will be able to autonomously evaluate the best strategies to use processes and manage system memory.

Communication skills: students will learn to communicate and justify the basic principles of operative systems.

Learning skills: students will be able to autonomously learn how use system calls and processes management techniques not studied during the course.