Operating System - Properties

4/3/24, 7:54 PM Operating System - Properties
Operating System - Properties
Following are the different properties of an Operating System. This tutorial will
explain these properties in detail one by one:
Batch processing
Multitasking
Multiprogramming
Interactivity
Real Time System
Distributed Environment
Spooling
Batch processing
Batch processing is a technique in which an Operating System collects the programs
and data together in a batch before processing starts. An operating system does the
following activities related to batch processing −
The OS defines a job which has predefined sequence of commands, programs

and data as a single unit.
The OS keeps a number a jobs in memory and executes them without any
manual information.
Jobs are processed in the order of submission, i.e., first come first served
fashion.
When a job completes its execution, its memory is released and the output for
the job gets copied into an output spool for later printing or processing.
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/operating_system/os_properties.htm 1/6
Advantages
Batch processing takes much of the work of the operator to the computer.
Increased performance as a new job get started as soon as the previous job is
finished, without any manual intervention.
Disadvantages
Difficult to debug program.

A job could enter an infinite loop.
Due to lack of protection scheme, one batch job can affect pending jobs.
Multitasking
Multitasking is when multiple jobs are executed 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 does the following activities related to
multitasking −
The user gives instructions to the operating system or to a program directly,

and receives an immediate response.
The OS handles multitasking in the way that it can handle multiple
operations/executes multiple programs at a time.
Multitasking Operating Systems are also known as Time-sharing systems.
These Operating Systems were developed to provide interactive use of a

computer system at a reasonable cost.
A time-shared operating system uses the concept of CPU scheduling and
multiprogramming to provide each user with a small portion of a time-shared
CPU.
Each user has at least one separate program in memory.
A program that is loaded into memory and is executing is commonly referred to

as a process.
When a process executes, it typically executes for only a very short time before
it either finishes or needs to perform I/O.
Since interactive I/O typically runs at slower speeds, it may take a long time to
complete. During this time, a CPU can be utilized by another process.
The operating system allows the users to share the computer simultaneously.
Since each action or command in a time-shared system tends to be short, only
a little CPU time is needed for each user.
As the system switches CPU rapidly from one user/program to the next, each
user is given the impression that he/she has his/her own CPU, whereas actually
one CPU is being shared among many users.
Multiprogramming
Sharing the processor, when two or more programs reside in memory at the same
time, is referred as multiprogramming. Multiprogramming assumes a single shared
processor. Multiprogramming increases CPU utilization by organizing jobs so that the
CPU always has one to execute.
The following figure shows the memory layout for a multiprogramming system.
An OS does the following activities related to multiprogramming.
The operating system keeps several jobs in memory at a time.
This set of jobs is a subset of the jobs kept in the job pool.
The operating system picks and begins to execute one of the jobs in the
memory.
Multiprogramming operating systems monitor the state of all active programs

and system resources using memory management programs to ensures that
the CPU is never idle, unless there are no jobs to process.
Advantages
High and efficient CPU utilization.

User feels that many programs are allotted CPU almost simultaneously.
Disadvantages
CPU scheduling is required.

To accommodate many jobs in memory, memory management is required.
Interactivity
Interactivity refers to the ability of users to interact with a computer system. An
Operating system does the following activities related to interactivity −
Provides the user an interface to interact with the system.
Manages input devices to take inputs from the user. For example, keyboard.
Manages output devices to show outputs to the user. For example, Monitor.
The response time of the OS needs to be short, since the user submits and waits for
the result.
Real Time System

Real-time systems are usually dedicated, embedded systems. An operating system
does the following activities related to real-time system activity.
In such systems, Operating Systems typically read from and react to sensor
data.
The Operating system must guarantee response to events within fixed periods
of time to ensure correct performance.
Distributed Environment
A distributed environment refers to multiple independent CPUs or processors in a
computer system. An operating system does the following activities related to
distributed environment −
The OS distributes computation logics among several physical processors.
The processors do not share memory or a clock. Instead, each processor has its
own local memory.
The OS manages the communications between the processors. They

communicate with each other through various communication lines.
Spooling
Spooling is an acronym for simultaneous peripheral operations on line. Spooling
refers to putting data of various I/O jobs in a buffer. This buffer is a special area in
memory or hard disk which is accessible to I/O devices.
An operating system does the following activities related to distributed environment

−
Handles I/O device data spooling as devices have different data access rates.
Maintains the spooling buffer which provides a waiting station where data can
rest while the slower device catches up.
Maintains parallel computation because of spooling process as a computer can

perform I/O in parallel fashion. It becomes possible to have the computer read
data from a tape, write data to disk and to write out to a tape printer while it is
doing its computing task.
Advantages
The spooling operation uses a disk as a very large buffer.

Spooling is capable of overlapping I/O operation for one job with processor
operations for another job.

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4/3/24, 7:54 PM Operating System - Properties

Operating System - Properties

The OS defines a job which has predefined sequence of commands, programs

Difficult to debug program.

The user gives instructions to the operating system or to a program directly,

Multitasking Operating Systems are also known as Time-sharing systems.

These Operating Systems were developed to provide interactive use of a

Each user has at least one separate program in memory.

A program that is loaded into memory and is executing is commonly referred to

An OS does the following activities related to multiprogramming.

The operating system keeps several jobs in memory at a time.

Multiprogramming operating systems monitor the state of all active programs

High and efficient CPU utilization.

CPU scheduling is required.

Provides the user an interface to interact with the system.

Real Time System

The OS distributes computation logics among several physical processors.

The OS manages the communications between the processors. They

An operating system does the following activities related to distributed environment

Maintains parallel computation because of spooling process as a computer can

The spooling operation uses a disk as a very large buffer.

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