Visvesvaraya Technological University

Jnana Sangama, Belgaum, Karnataka 590018

Government Engineering College

Ramanagara - 562159
2024 – 25

A Report on
CASE STUDY ON UNIX BASED SYSTEMS
Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering
Submitted by: MANASA S
USN: 1GG23CS060
Semester: 3rd Semester (CSE)
Under the guidance of
Mrs. KOMALA K V

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 GOVERNMENT ENGINEERING COLLEGE RAMANAGARA-562159

BM Road, Ramanagara-562 159

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Affiliated to VTU Belagavi, Recognized AICTE-New Delhi

CERTIFICATE
Certified that MANASA S bearing USN 1GG23CS034 has submitted report on topic CASE
STUDY ON UNIX BASED SYSTEMS carried out during III semester, in partial fulfillment of
Internal Assessment [CIE for the theory component of the IPCC] for the subject OPERATING
SYSTEMS (BCS303) in Computer Science and Engineering Department for the academic year
2024-25.

MAX MARKS MARKS OBTAINED

10

Signature of the Course Coordinator

Mrs. Komala K V
Asst. Professor
Dept of CSE
GEC, Ramanagara.

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 UNIX Based Systems

(UNIplexed Information Computing System)

Introduction to Unix OS

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the Unix operating

system, covering its core concepts, key features, file system structure, commands,
shells, scripting, process management, and security. We will explore the history and
evolution of Unix, its design philosophy, and its lasting impact on modern
computing.

What is Unix?

Unix is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that

share a common ancestry and design philosophy. It's known for its portability,
efficiency, and powerful command-line interface. Unlike many modern operating
systems built for a specific hardware architecture, Unix was designed from the start

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to be portable to various platforms, a key factor in its longevity and widespread
adoption. Its modular design allows for easy customization and extension.

A History of the UNIX Operating System

This document chronicles the evolution of the UNIX operating system, from
its humble beginnings to its enduring impact on the computing world. It explores the
key figures involved, the technological innovations that shaped its development, and
the influence it has had on modern operating systems and software development.

The Origin of the UNIX

The origins of UNIX can be traced back to the 1960s, a time of rapid
advancements in computer technology. The Bell Labs research group, known for its
groundbreaking work in telecommunications, was at the forefront of this
technological revolution. They developed the Multics (Multiplexed Information and
Computing Service) operating system, a highly ambitious project aiming to create a
revolutionary time-sharing system. However, Multics faced significant challenges
and ultimately proved too complex for the limited resources of the time. This led to
the eventual withdrawal of Bell Labs from the project.

Ken Thompson and the Birth of UNIX

Ken Thompson, a talented programmer at Bell Labs, was deeply involved in

the Multics project. He recognized the potential of a time-sharing system but was
dissatisfied with the complexity of Multics. Driven by his passion for simplicity and
efficiency, Thompson decided to create his own operating system, which he named
UNIX.

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He started developing UNIX in 1969, using a discarded Digital Equipment
Corporation PDP-7 computer, a much more modest machine than the ones used for
Multics.

Chronological Order of UNIX Evolution

"Ken's new system" (Unics → Unix) (1969)

• UNIX Time-Sharing System v1 (1971)

• UNIX Time-Sharing System v2 (1972)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v3 (1973)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v4 (1973)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v5 (1974)
• UNSW 01 (1978)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v6 (1975)
• 1BSD (1978)
• AUSAM (1978)
• IS/1 (1977)
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 • LSI-UNIX (1977)
• Mini-UNIX (1977)
• PWB/UNIX 1.0 (1977)
• USG 1.0
• CB UNIX 1
• Wollongong Unix (1977)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v7 (1979)
• 2BSD (1979)
• UNIX/32V (1979)
• 3BSD (1979)
• UNIX System III (1981)
• UNIX/V7M (1979)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v8 (1985)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v9 (1986)
• UNIX Time-Sharing System v10 (1989)
• IX Multilevel-Secure UNIX System (1992)

UNIX Time-Sharing System v6 (1975)

1BSD (PDP-11)

The earliest distributions of Unix from Bell Labs in the 1970s included
the source code to the operating system, allowing researchers at universities to
modify and extend Unix. The operating system arrived at Berkeley in 1974, at the
request of computer science professor Bob Fabry who had been on the program
committee for the Symposium on Operating Systems Principles where Unix was
first presented. A PDP-11/45 was bought to run the system, but for budgetary

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reasons, this machine was shared with the mathematics and statistics groups at
Berkeley, who used RSTS, so that Unix only ran on the machine eight hours per day
(sometimes during the day, sometimes during the night). A larger PDP-11/70 was
installed at Berkeley the following year, using money from the Ingres database
project.

Also in 1975, Ken Thompson took a sabbatical from Bell Labs and came to
Berkeley as a visiting professor. He helped to install Version 6 Unix and started
working on a Pascal implementation for the system. Graduate students Chuck Haley
and Bill Joy improved Thompson's Pascal and implemented an improved text
editor, ex. Other universities became interested in the software at Berkeley, and so
in 1977 Joy started compiling the first Berkeley Software Distribution (1BSD),
which was released on March 9, 1978. 1BSD was an add-on to Version 6 Unix rather
than a complete operating system in its own right. Some thirty copies were sent out.

UNIX Time-Sharing System v7 (1979)

Version 7 Unix
Version 7 Unix, also called Seventh Edition Unix, Version 7 or just V7, was
an important early release of the Unix operating system. V7, released in 1979, was
the last Bell Laboratories release to see widespread distribution before the
commercialization of Unix by AT&T Corporation in the early 1980s. V7 was
originally developed for Digital Equipment Corporation's PDP-11 minicomputers
and was later ported to other platforms.

Unix versions from Bell Labs were designated by the edition of the user's
manual with which they were accompanied. Released in 1979, the Seventh Edition
was preceded by Sixth Edition, which was the first version licensed to commercial
users. Development of the Research Unix line continued with the Eighth Edition,
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which incorporated development from 4.1BSD, through the Tenth Edition, after
which the Bell Labs researchers concentrated on developing Plan 9.

V7 was the first readily portable version of Unix. As this was the era
of minicomputers, with their many architectural variations, and also the beginning
of the market for 16-bit microprocessors, many ports were completed within the first
few years of its release. The first Sun workstations (then based on the Motorola
68000) ran a V7 port by UniSoft; the first version of Xenix for the Intel 8086 was
derived from V7 and Onyx Systems soon produced a Zilog Z8000 computer
running V7. The VAX port of V7, called UNIX/32V, was the direct ancestor of the
popular 4BSD family of Unix systems.

The group at the University of Wollongong that had ported V6 to

the Interdata 7/32 ported V7 to that machine as well. Interdata sold the port as
Edition VII, making it the first commercial UNIX offering.

DEC distributed their own PDP-11 version of V7, called V7M (for
modified). V7M, developed by DEC's original Unix Engineering Group (UEG),
contained many enhancements to the kernel for the PDP-11 line of computers
including significantly improved hardware error recovery and many additional
device drivers. UEG evolved into the group that later developed Ultrix.

The Portability of UNIX

One of the defining characteristics of UNIX was its portability. It was

designed to be easily moved to different hardware platforms. This portability was
achieved through the use of a modular architecture, where the operating system was
composed of a set of small, independent programs that could be easily adapted to
different hardware configurations. This portability made UNIX incredibly flexible
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and allowed it to quickly spread to various computers, a significant contrast to the
highly specialized operating systems of the time.

The Adoption of UNIX

The adoption of UNIX began with its use within Bell Labs and other research
institutions. The early adopters recognized its power and efficiency, particularly for
software development. This early adoption played a crucial role in its success, as it
provided a platform for developers to create innovative applications that further
fueled its adoption.

The popularity of UNIX soared in the 1970s and 1980s, driven by its
portability and its ability to handle complex tasks. Its popularity spread to
universities, government agencies, and eventually to the commercial sector. UNIX
became the preferred choice for researchers, programmers, and systems
administrators worldwide.

The Development of UNIX Variants

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 As UNIX gained popularity, numerous variants emerged. The development of
these variants was spurred by different requirements and the desire to tailor the
operating system to specific needs. The most notable variants include:

• Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD): Developed at the University of

California, Berkeley, BSD introduced features like TCP/IP networking and
virtual memory, making it more suitable for a wider range of applications.
• System V: Developed by AT&T, System V focused on providing robust
system administration tools and a standardized framework for commercial
UNIX systems.

The proliferation of UNIX variants led to fragmentation within the UNIX

community. This fragmentation presented challenges for software developers, who
faced compatibility issues when developing applications for different UNIX
systems. However, it also spurred innovation as each variant brought new features
and advancements to the UNIX ecosystem.

The Impact of UNIX on the Computing Industry

The impact of UNIX on the computing industry is profound and far-reaching.

It revolutionized operating systems, laying the groundwork for the modern operating
systems we use today. Its influence can be seen in the design of popular operating
systems like Linux, macOS, and even Windows. UNIX pioneered concepts like a
hierarchical file system, a command-line interface, and the ability to run multiple
processes simultaneously. These concepts became industry standards and are
integral to the functioning of modern operating systems.

Furthermore, UNIX's influence extends beyond operating systems. It played

a vital role in the development of the internet, as its networking capabilities and
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TCP/IP implementation became the foundation for internet communication. It also
had a significant impact on software development, leading to the adoption of open-
source software and promoting collaborative development practices.

Key Features of Unix

• Multitasking: Handles multiple processes concurrently.

• Multiuser: Allows multiple users to access the system simultaneously.
• Portability: Can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms.
• Hierarchical File System: Organizes files and directories in a tree-like
structure.
• Command-Line Interface: Provides a powerful text-based interface for
interacting with the system.
• Pipeline and Filters: Allows for sophisticated data processing by chaining
commands together.

These features, combined with a strong emphasis on simplicity and elegance,

have made Unix influential in the development of many other operating systems.

Unix File System Structure

The Unix file system is hierarchical, meaning files and directories are
organized in a tree-like structure rooted at a single directory, typically referred to as
the root directory ("/"). Every file and directory resides under this root, creating a
clear and organized system. This structure facilitates navigation, access control, and
efficient management of large amounts of data.

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Unix Commands and Utilities

Unix provides a rich set of commands and utilities for various tasks. These
commands are typically short and efficient, allowing for powerful command-line
interactions. Common commands include `ls` (list files), `cd` (change directory),
`cp` (copy files), `mv` (move files), `rm` (remove files), and `mkdir` (make
directory). These are fundamental tools used for file management and navigation.
More advanced tools exist for text processing, network administration, and system
maintenance.

File Management Process Management System Administration

• ls • grep • ps
• cd • sed • top
• cp • awk • kill
• mv • cat • shutdown
• rm
• mkdir

Unix Shells and Scripting

A shell is a command-line interpreter that allows users to interact with the

Unix operating system. Common shells include Bash, Zsh, and Csh. Shells provide
an environment for executing commands and running scripts. Scripting in Unix
allows for automation of repetitive tasks by creating sequences of commands within
a script file. This capability greatly enhances productivity and efficiency.

Popular scripting languages include Bash (for shell scripting) and Perl and
Python (for more general-purpose scripting). Shell scripts are often used for

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automating system administration tasks, while more powerful languages like Python
are used for more complex automation and data processing.

Unix Process Management

Unix manages processes using a sophisticated system that allows for efficient
multitasking and resource allocation. Each process has its own memory space and
resources. The operating system uses scheduling algorithms to allocate CPU time
fairly among running processes. Commands like `ps` (process status) and `top` (real-
time process viewer) provide information about running processes, allowing
administrators to monitor system activity and identify potential bottlenecks.

Unix Security and Permission

Unix employs a robust security model based on user accounts and file
permissions. Each user has a unique account with a specific set of privileges. File
permissions control access to files and directories, determining which users can read,
write, and execute them. This granular control allows for fine-tuning security to
protect sensitive data and system resources. The `chmod` command is used to
modify file permissions.

Permission Read Write Execute

Owner r W X
Group r W X
Others R W X

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The Evolution of OS: From Mainframes to Mobile

The journey of operating systems began with massive mainframe computers,

utilizing batch processing systems. Early OS like GM-NAA I/O were simple,
managing limited resources. The introduction of time-sharing systems like CTSS
revolutionized computing, allowing multiple users to share a single machine. The
development of minicomputers and the rise of personal computers brought about
simpler, user-friendly OS like MS-DOS and early versions of Unix. The late 20th
and early 21st centuries witnessed the explosive growth of mobile computing,
resulting in the development of specialized OS like iOS and Android, optimizing for
touchscreens and mobile connectivity.

The Future of OS: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

The future of OS will be shaped by several key trends: the continued growth
of cloud computing, the pervasive adoption of AI and ML, and the rise of edge
computing. Challenges include ensuring security and privacy, addressing ethical
considerations of AI, and managing the increasing complexity of OS. Opportunities
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exist in developing more efficient, sustainable, and personalized OS. The evolution
of OS is an ongoing process, driven by technological advancements and evolving
user needs. This continuous evolution will unlock further innovations, transforming
how we interact with technology and shaping the future of computation.

The Enduring Legacy of UNIX

Despite the emergence of newer operating systems, UNIX continues to be

relevant and widely used today. Its influence is felt in various industries, from
scientific research and academia to financial services and telecommunications. The
open-source version of UNIX, known as Linux, has become one of the most popular
operating systems in the world, powering everything from servers to smartphones.
The enduring legacy of UNIX lies in its core principles: portability, efficiency, and
a modular design. These principles continue to inspire and shape the development
of modern computing technologies.

***

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