Process Execution

Welcome to week 9 of Computer Systems! This week we will move up an additional layer and focus on operating system concerns, particularly around how the computer managed running multiple processes and switching between them during normal operation. We will also touch on a few command-line tools in Linux/Unix systems that we commonly use to manage and monitor OS processes.

Topics Covered

• Exceptions
• User & Kernel Modes
• Context Switches
• Process Control & Multiprocessing
• Process Management Tools (metrics, top, ps)

Learning Outcomes

After this week, you will be able to:

• Understand the role of exceptions in operating systems and how they handle unexpected events and interrupts.
• Differentiate between user mode and kernel mode, and comprehend the privilege levels associated with each mode.
• Explain the concept of context switches and their significance in multitasking environments, including the steps involved and strategies to reduce overhead.
• Describe the process control and multiprocessing mechanisms in operating systems, including process creation, scheduling, and termination.
• Demonstrate proficiency in using process management tools (e.g., 'top' and 'ps') to monitor system resources and analyze process performance.

Materials in this module are based on or taken from the below source: Operating Systems and Middleware: Supporting Controlled Interaction by Max Hailperin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.