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MODULE 2

OPERATING SYSTEMS AND NETWORKING

WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM

A n operating system (OS) is a software program, but it is different from word

processing programs, spreadsheets, and all the other software programs on your
computer. OS is an example of system software— software that controls the system's
hardware and that interacts with the user and application software. The operating
system is the computer's master control program. OS provides you with the tools
(commands) that enable you to interact with the PC. The operating system performs the
following functions:

» Displays the on-screen elements with which you interact— (the user interface).
» Loads programs (such as word processing and spreadsheet programs) in to the
computer’s memory so that you can use them.
» Coordinates how programs work with the computer's hardware and other software.
» Manages the way information is stored on and retrieved from disks.

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

Real-Time Operating Systems

A real-time operating system is a very fast, relatively small OS. Real-time OS are often
called embedded OS. A real-time operating system is needed to run real-time
applications. It may support multiple simultaneous tasks, or it may only support single-
tasking. A real-time application is an application in that it responds to certain inputs
extremely quickly— thousands or millions of a second. Real-time applications are
needed to run medical diagnostics equipment, life-support systems, machinery, scien-
tific instruments, and industrial systems

Single-User/Single-Tasking Operating Systems

An operating system that allows a single user to perform just one task a t a time is a
single-user/single*tasking operating system. To a user, a "task” is a function such as
printing a document, writing a file to disk, editing a file , or downloading a file from a
network server. To the operating system, a task is a process, and small and simple OS
can only manage a single task at a time.
MS-DOS is one example o f a single-tasking OS,

Single-User/Multitasking Operating Systems

A single-user/multitasking operating system is one that allows a single user to perform

two or more functions a t once. It takes a special operating system to keep two or more
tasks running at once. The most commonly used personal computers usually run such
OS, including Microsoft Window s and the Macintosh Operating System .The
multitasking features o f these OS have increased productivity of people in a large
variety of jobs because they can accomplish more in a shorter period of time.

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Multi-User/Multitasking Operating Systems

A multi-user/multitasking operating system is an operating system that allows multiple

users to use programs that are simultaneously running on a single network server;
called a terminal server. When a computer is connected to a server to access document
files to edit, the client computer performs the processing work locally. So with a multi-
user OS, this gives each user a complete environment, called a user session on the
server. Each user’s applications run with in their user session on the server separate
from all other user sessions. The software that makes this possible is called a terminal
client. In a multi-user/multitasking operating system environment, all or most o f the
computing occurs at the server

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PC OPERATING SYSTEM

I. Windows

Windows is a graphical operating system developed by Microsoft. It allows users to

view and store files, run the software, play games, watch videos, and provides a way to
connect to the internet. It was released for both home computing and professional
works. Microsoft introduced the first version as 1.0

It was released for both home computing and professional functions of Windows on 10
November 1983. There have been many different versions of Windows. The most
recent versions are windows10 (released in 2015), Windows8 (2012), Windows
7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007).

I. macOS
Mac OS is a line of operating systems created by Apple Inc. It comes preloaded on all
new Macintosh computers, or Macs. All of the recent versions are known as Mac OS
X (pronounced Mac O-S Ten), and their specific version names are Lion (released in
2011), Snow Leopard (2009) and Leopard (2007). Apple also offers a version
called Mac OS X Server, which is designed to be run on servers.

II. Linux

Linux is a family of open-source operating systems, which means they can be modified
and distributed by anyone around the world. This is different from proprietary
software like Windows, which can only be modified by the company that owns it. The
advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there are many different distributions—or
versions—you can choose from.

III. Unix

UNIX is an operating system which was first developed in the 1960s, and has been
under constant development ever since. By operating system, we mean the suite of

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programs which make the computer work. It is a stable, multi-user, multi-tasking

system for servers, desktops and laptops.

UNIX systems also have a graphical user interface (GUI) similar to Microsoft Windows
which provides an easy to use environment.

IV. Apple iOS

Apple’s iOS is a popular operating system for smartphones. It works on Apple hardware,

including iPhone’s and iPad tablets. iOS features include an application shop where

users can buy and download free apps, strong safety and encryption focus to limit what

unauthorized users can remove from the phone and a simple, streamlined interface

with minimal hardware buttons.

COMPUTER NETWORKS
A network is a set o f technologies—including hardware, software, and media, that can
be used to connect computers together, enabling them to communicate, exchange
information, and share resources in real-time Networks allow many users to access
shared data and programs almost instantly. When data and programs are stored on a
network and are shared, individual users can substantially reduce the need for
programs on their own computers
Advantages of networks
1. Simultaneous Access

Different users can access the same data at the same time. If the server stores data files
for users to access, it is commonly called a file server.

2. Shared Peripheral Devices

The ability to share peripheral devices (especially expensive ones such as high- volume
laser printers, which can cost thousands of dollars ) is one o f the best reasons for small
businesses to set up a network

3. Personal Communications

One of the most far-reaching applications of data communication s is electronic mail (e-
mail), a system for exchanging written messages (and, increasingly, voice and video
messages) through a network. Teleconference is any kind of multi-way communication
carried out in real-time using telecommunications or computer networks and
equipment. Sub categories of teleconferencing are

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• Video-conferencing. Videoconferencing enables real-time communication over

a distance by allowing people at two or more sites to communicate with each
other by seeing a video picture o f the people at the other sites. Each site has one
or more cameras, microphones, loudspeakers, and monitors,
• Audio-conferencing. Audio-conferencing provides an audio link similar to that
of a conventional telephone, except that it offers much higher-quality audio and
enables more than two sites to be liked together
• Data-conferencing. Data-conferencing enables participants at two or more
sites to have a shared workspace on their computer desktops.

Common Types of Networks

Local Area Networks (LANs)

A Local area network (LAN) is a data communication system consisting o f several

devices such as computers and printers. This type o f network contains computers that
are relatively near to each other and are physically connected using cables. A LAN can
consist of just two or three PC s connected together to share resources, or it can include
hundreds of computers of different kinds. Any network that exists within a single
building, or even a group of adjacent buildings, is considered a LAN. It is often helpful to
connect separate LANs together so they can communicate and exchange data.
Wide Area Networks (WANs)

A WAN (wide area network) is a communications network that spans a large geographic
area such as across cities, states, or countries. A wide area network (WAN) is a network
that exists over a large-scale geographical area. A WAN connects different smaller
networks, including local area networks (LANs) and metro area networks (MANs). This
ensures that computers and users in one location can communicate with computers and
users in other locations.
An example, a company may have its corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant
in one city and its marketing office in another. Each site needs resources, data, and
programs locally, but it also needs to share data with the other sites. To accomplish this
feat o f data communication, the company can attach devices that connect over public
utilities to create a WAN.

Hybrid Networks
Campus Area Networks (CANs)

Campus area network (CAN) is a network of multiple interconnected local area

networks (LAN) in a limited geographical area. A CAN is smaller than a wide area
network (WAN) or metropolitan area network (MAN). A CAN is also known as a
corporate area network (CAN) or Cluster Area Network. A campus area network is used
to inter-connect networks in limited geographical locality like university campus,
military bases, or organizational campuses etc.

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Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs)

The metropolitan area network (M A N ) b a large-scale network that connects multiple

corporate L A N s together. MAN‘s are high-speed network that allows for the sharing o f
regional resources. MAN is a computer network that usually spans a city. A MAN usually
interconnects a number of local area networks (LANs) using a high-capacity backbone
technology, such as fibre-optical links, and provides up-link services .MAN’s are larger
than Local Area Network but smaller than the area covered by a wide area
network(WAN)

Home Area Networks (HANs)

A home area network (HAN) is a network contained within a user’s home which
connects a person’s digital devices, from multiple computers and their peripheral
devices. A home area network (HAN) is a network that is deployed and operated within
a small boundary, typically a house or small office/home office. It enables the
communication and sharing of resources (like the Internet) between computers, mobile
and other devices over a network connection.

HOW NETWORKS ARE STRUCTURED

SERVER BASED NETWORKS

To understand a server-based network, it is important to know the meaning of the term

node in a network. A node is a processing location that can be a PC or some other
devices such as a networked printer. Usually, server-based networks include many
nodes and one o r more servers, which control user access to the network's resources.
A file server network is a fairly simple example o f this kind of nodes-and-server
network.

CLIENT/SERVER NETWORKS

One popular type of server-based network is the client/server network, where

individual computers share the processing and storage workload with a central server.
This arrangement requires special software for the nodes and the server

PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS

In a peer-to-peer network (abbreviated as “P2PN” and sometimes called a work group),

all nodes on the network have equal relationships to all others, and all have similar
types of software that support the sharing of resources. In a typical peer-to-peer
network, each node has access to at least some of the resources on all other nodes. Here
there is server computer, all are peers

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SERVICES OF THE INTERNET (FEATURES OF THE INTERNET)

❖ World Wide Web
❖ Electronic mail(E-MAIL)
❖ News
❖ File transfer protocol(FTP)
❖ Chat
❖ Instant messaging
❖ Online services
❖ Peer-to-Peer services

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is the way of accessing information over the medium of internet.
The World Wide Web (also known as the Web or WWW) was created in 1989 at the
European Particle Physics Laboratory in Geneva. World Wide Web is a collection of
billions of documents, all stored in different places, but all linked together in some
manner. Web documents can be linked together because they are created in a format
known as hypertext. Hypertext systems provide an easy way to manage large
collections of data, which can include text files, pictures, sounds, movies, and more.

To support hypertext documents, the Web uses a special protocol, called the hypertext
transfer protocol, or HTTP. A hypertext document is a specially encoded file that uses
the hypertext markup language, or HTML. This language allows a document's author to
embed hypertext links—also called hyperlinks or just links—in the document. HTTP
and hypertext links are the foundations of the World Wide Web.

The hypertext documents are called web pages. Collection of related web pages is called
website. Websites are housed on web servers. Copying a page onto a server is called
publishing a page and the process is called posting or uploading

Electronic mail(E-MAIL)

Electronic mail, or e-mail, is a system for exchanging messages through a computer

network. People most commonly use e-mail to send and receive text messages, but
depending on the software you use, you may be able to exchange audio or video
messages with someone else. e-mail is less expensive than using the telephone because
there is no charge for using it,

Email uses multiple protocols within the TCP/IP suite. For example, SMTP is used to
send messages, while the POP or IMAP protocols are used to retrieve messages from a
mail server.

News

The internet support a form of public bulletin board called news. There are tens of
thousands of active news groups. Each devoted to discussion of a particular topic. These
newsgroups are part of a system called Usenet.

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To participate in a newsgroup, users post articles about the new group’s main topic. As
users read and respond to one another’s articles, they create a thread of linked articles.

The most popular way to participate in news group is by using a news reader program
such as newsrover, newsPro, XNews etc. The protocol which support newsgroups is
NNTP (Network news transfer Protocol)

FTP (File Transfer protocol)

It is the protocol used to transfer files from one computer to another. An FTP site is a
collection of files, including data files that are housed on an FTP server.FTP sites are
also called archives.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) or web based chat

Internet relay chat or chat is a popular way for internet users to communicate in real
time with others. Real-time communication means communicating each other in the
immediate present. Unlike email, chat does not require a waiting time between the time
you send a message and the time the other person receive the message.

Instant messaging

It is a type of chat software that offers real time text transmission over the internet. This
software restricts the participation to specific users. Some of the IM are windows
massager, AOI instant messenger etc.

Online services

An online service refers to any information and services provided over the internet.
These services not only allow subscribers to communicate with each other but they also
provide unlimited access to information. Online services can range from simple to
complex. Examples in clued e-mail provider, news providers, e-commerce sites etc

Peer-to-Peer services

P2p services are distributed networks that do not require a centralized server to
manage files. Instead, special software is created, allowing an individual’s computer to
communicate with another computer and have access to files or information on that
computer.

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE