Chapter 4 - Operating Systems Flashcards
3.1, 3.2
Operating System (OS)
the fundamental software program that serves as the backbone of a computer or any other computing device. It has the primary job of being the intermediary between the hardware components of the computer and the applications or software running on it
Operating System Functions
- Interface between applications/hardware
- Disk management
- Process management/scheduling
- Memory management
- Device Management
- Access control
Partition
a separate and distinct section or compartment of a storage device
Process
an instance of an executing program or application. It represents the computing resources allocated to that specific program while it’s running.
Application
a software program or set of programs designed to perform specific tasks or functions to meet the user’s needs
Virtual Memory
a memory management technique used by operating systems to extend the available memory beyond the physical RAM (Random Access Memory) installed on a computer
Device Management
is the process of controlling and coordinating the various hardware devices connected to a computer system
- manages hard drives, optical drives, other storage media
- creating and deleting partitions
- formatting partitions
Device Manager
a built-in utility that allows users to manage hardware devices connected to their computer it provides an intuitive graphical interface to perform various device related tasks to include viewing device information updating device drivers
- identify hardware specs of a device
- Updating a driver
- rolling back a driver
- uninstalling a driver
- disabling a device
Access Control
the process of managing and regulating the permissions and privileges granted to users or processes attempting to interact with system resources
*** Microsoft uses the User Account Control utility (UAC) to manage access control
Workstation OS
designed to provide a user-friendly and feature-rich environment for individual users, often emphasizing multimedia capabilities, productivity tools, and personal customization
- Linux
- Apple macOS
- Microsoft Windows 10 & 11
- Google Chrome Os
Server OS
optimized for robustness, security, and stability to efficiently manage and serve resources and services to multiple clients in networked environments
- Linux
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019 and 2022
- UNIX
Mobile Device OS
tailored for the constraints of smartphones and tablets, prioritizing items such as touch-based interfaces, virtual keyboards, power efficiency, and ARM processor compatibility
- Apple iOS
- Android
Embedded OS
designed to run on resource-constrained devices with specific functions
- commonly used for: traffic lights, digital TV, ATMs, Point of Sale (POS) terminals
- not upgradable
Virtualization
a technology that enables you to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical computer simultaneously
Hypervisor
manages the virtualization environment and facilitates interactions with the host devices hardware
- Type 1 Hypervisor
- Type 2 Hypervisor
Type 1 Hypervisor
a bare metal hypervisor is a purpose-built operating system that is installed directly on the host device as the host devices OS
- facilitates interactions with the host devices hardware
Virtual Machines (VMS)
are simulated computer systems created by the hypervisor that allows you to run multiple independent operating system and applications on a single physical computer simultaneously
- act as a self-contain isolated environment complete with its own virtual hardware and resources
- install directly to top of a physical server and its underlying hardware
Type 2 Hypervisor
runs as a software application installed on the host operating system
- retains direct control of the host devices hardware
- relies on the host machine’s preexisting OS to manage calls to CPU, memory, storage and network resources
File System
a method of organizing and storing data on a computer or storage device. It provides a structured way to manage and access data efficiently
- digital file cabinet
- ensure files are neatly arranged
File Compression
a techinque used to reduce the size of a file to save storage space and enable faster data transfers
- zip, gzip, rar, tar, iso
zip (File Compression)
widely used compression format supported by Linux, Mac OS, and Windows
- effective for compressing various types of files including documents images and multimedia files
gzip (File Compression)
a popular compression format used mainly by Linux and Mac OS
- provide efficient and fast compression
- commonly used for compressing text files, log files, and web content
rar (File Compression)
a compression format associated with WinRAR primarily used on Windows
- known for providing higher compression ratios
- suitable for compressing large files and archives
tar - tape archive (File Compression)
a compression format commonly used on Linus and Mac OS
iso (File Compression)
a standard file format used for creating images of optical disks like CDs and DVDs
- compatible with various operating systems
- commonly used to distribute software and operating system installation files
File Encryption
the process of converting the contents of a file into a secure and unreadable format, using encryption algorithms
- only authorized users can access the original content
File Permission
access rights that determine what actions users and groups can perform within a file system
- set by the files owners or system administrator to control who can read, write, execute or have full control over the file
Journaling
a feature that records changes made to the file system in a log, acting like a transaction history
- ensures date integrity during unexpected events like power outages or system crashes without losing data or corrupting files
File System Limitations
- hard drive partition limits
- file size limits
File Naming Rules
- restricted characters
- maximum characters
New Technology File System (NFTS)
a proprietary file system developed by Microsoft and is the default file system used in modern Windows operating systems
- supports, file compression, file encryption, file permission
- follows specific naming rules for files and folders
Encrypting File System (EFS)
allows users to encrypt individual files or folders on an NTFS formatted drive providing robust security by ensuring that only authorized users with the correct encryption keys can access and decrypt the encrypted data.
File Allocation Table 32 (FAT32)
a file system used to manage data on stage devices, such as hard drives, USB flash drives, and memory cards
- partition size limit: 2 TB
- File Size limit: 4GB
Hierarchical File System Plus (HTS+)
a file system developed by Apple and used as the primary file system for Macintosh computers
- Support file compression, permissions, and journaling
- Does NOT support file encryption
- partition size limits: 8 EB
- File size limit: 8 EB
- File Naming rules: / :
Fourth Extended File System (Ext4)
the primary file system used in Linux-based operating system
- supports file encryption, permissions, and journaling
- does NOT support file compression
- Partition Size limit: 1 EB
- File Size Limit: 16 TB
- File Naming rules: /
File
a digital container that holds data such as documents, images, videos, or any other type of information
- without files there would be no data to work with
Folders/Directories
a virtual container that helps organize your files in a logical manner
File type and Extensions
tell your computer how to interpret and handle the data within the file
- Word Processing Software: .doc, .docx
- Spreadsheet Software: .xsls, .csv
- Presentation Software: .ppt
- Executable Files/Programs: .exe, .app, .bat
- Image Files: .jpg
Service
a software program of function that runs in the background of computer or device, providing specific task, function abilities, or capabilities to support the operating system or applications
- provide fundamental functionalities that allow to us to interact with our computers and perform everyday
Process
an instance of an executing program or application. It represents the computing resources that allocate to the specific program while it’s running
- allowing the computer to execute multiple programs simultaneously
Device Driver
a software program that facilitates communication between a computing device’s operating system and a specific hardware device
Utilities
essential tools and programs built into an operating system to help users manage, maintain, and optimize their computers
Command Line Interface (CLI) aka shell
a text-based interface used to interact with a computer or operating system
- interact with the OS through a series of commands
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
a visual interface that allows users to interact with a computer or software application through graphical elements such as icons, buttons, and windows
- allows for users to be able to operate the OS easier
Single Platform Software
application that is only able to installed on one type of device or operating system
- IOS devices with iCloud and Android with Google Drive
Cross Platform Software
can be installed across operating systems
- Drobox is uses across OS platforms
Open-Source
licensed software is usually fee and had the source code available for the public to use. Open-Source licenses are usually used across different operating systems
Proprietary
licenses are those that are most associated to a particular type of device or operating system
Subscription/Shareware
software licenses that are usually fee for a trial period and requires a fee after a time has been reaches
Process Management
a utility that allows users the ability to start, stop, and restart system processes
Application Tier Model
a structure that arranges how users will access data within an organization
- Three Layers: (1) Presentation - user sees and interacts with (2) Application - application functionality (3) Database - where data is stored
Application Tier Types
- One tier - direct access to a system
- two tier - communication between client and server
- three tier - Users log into application which will access data from database
- N-Tier - Tiers of two, three, or four
Kernel
is the core inner component that processes data at the hardware level
- handles input-output management, memory and process management
The shell
is the outer layer that manges the interaction between the user and the OS.
- communicates with the operating system by either taking the input from the user or a shell script
Shell Script
a sequence of system commands that are stored in a file
Task Manager
a process management administration utility that comes with Microsoft Windows
- Users perform tasks like shut down applications that are not responding
- View processes and applications that are using system resources
Memory Management
the process of controlling and coordinating a computer’s main memory
- applications and other running processes have the memory they need to carry out their operations
Firmware
read-only software preinstalled (embedded) on a device that tells the device how to work
- Founded in televisions, remote controls, game console, printers, cameras, music players, and even automobiles
NTFS (New Technology File System)
a process that the Windows NO operating systems uses for storing, organizing, and finding files on a hard disk efficiently
- Introduced in 1993
- Modern Windows systems use NTFS
File Managemenet
the operating system allows users to create a new file, modify and delete the old files present at different locations of the computer system
Drivers
software that that helps an operating system communicate with hardware devices, like
printers, video cards, scanners, and cameras.
- translate signals from the operating system into instructions the hardware can
understand.
Windows Utilities
Windows utility programs are software tools that help users maintain and optimize their computer
systems.
- They can perform various tasks such as cleaning up and defragmenting disks, creating backups,
and managing system security. You can access them via the Control Panel or Start Menu.
Task Scheduling
Task Scheduler is a Windows service app that is triggered by events to automatically start an application
or run a script.
- You can configure the Task Scheduler to run a
program, send an email, or show a message when the trigger occurs.
