CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

MODULE OUTLINE

School: SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

Department: ICT AND ELECTRONICS

Module identity
Module title and code: OPERATING SYSTEMS (CUIT109)
Module level: 1.2
Module credits: 15 CREDITS
Date Module outline last updated: 9 SEPTEMBER 2022
Prerequisites, (if any): NONE
Module coordinator: H. MUSABAYEKA
Office location: E12
E-mail address: [email protected]
Cell number: 0712026122
Module contact hours: 60 HOURS
Face to face: 20 HOURS
Online: 15 HOURS
Tutorial hours: 10 HOURS
Industrial Related /Fieldwork hours: 30 HOURS
Practical/Laboratory work hours: 15 HOURS
Self-directed learning hours: 60 HOURS

Preamble

The module’s focus is on how an Operating System manages system resources e.g. memory,
CPU files etc., while avoiding possible deadlocks and / or starvation. Topics covered include:
Computer Resources. Operating systems strategies, process management, process
synchronization and inter-process communication, memory management, virtual memory,
interrupt handling, processor scheduling, device management, I/O, and the file systems,
Device management, File management, Network operating systems, Specific operating
systems e.g. Linux or Unix, Windows family.
Laboratory: Installing and uninstalling Operating Systems (Windows, Linux), Linux and
Windows commands, troubleshooting operating systems problems, programming algorithms
using C
Module Objectives:

By the end of this module students should be able to:

 Identify the services provided by an operating system

 Appreciate the underlying features in the design of operating systems

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  Implement appropriate algorithms to solve synchronization problems
 Evaluate suitability of different operating systems in specific computing
environments.
 Validate the success of an operating system installation.
 Analyse appropriate operating systems to meet specific requirements

Expected Learning Outcomes:

After completing this module, the student should be able to:

1. Discuss the evolution of operating systems.
2. Outline the services provided by and the design of an operating system
3. Illustrate the structure and organization of the file system
4. Examine Linux and windows operating system command line and graphical user
interfaces
5. Schedule processes using different algorithms
6. Apply appropriate solutions to solve synchronization problems
7. Evaluate different approaches to memory management
8. Apply disk scheduling algorithms to service disk I/O requests

Delivery Methods:

• Lecture
• Disposition
• Discovery
• Flipped classroom
• Just in time
• Assignment
• Demonstration
• Pairwise problem solving
• Question and answer

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Detailed Content Layout

Da Topics Content/concepts/ Methodology Student Duration/

y detailed employed activities time (for
content)
1 Introduction  Evolution of  Lecture Class 4 hrs
to Operating operating systems  Group exercises
Systems  Operating-System Discussion
Structure
 Operating-System
Operations

2 Computer  User Operating-  Flipped Student 4 hrs

System System Interface classroom research
Overview  System Calls Question &
Answer
3 Process  Process Concept  Just in time Group work, 6 hrs
Management  Operations on Question Individual
Processes & answer written
4  Interprocess  Exposition Assignment 1
Communication  Tutorial
 Communication in
Client Server
Systems

5 Process  Basic Concepts  Group Presentation of 6 hrs

Scheduling  Scheduling project group results
Criteria  Classroom Discussion of
6  Scheduling exercises exercise
Algorithms  Tutorial answers
 Operating System Question and
Examples Answer
 Algorithm session
Evaluation

7 Multithreade  Overview  Lab Explore 2 hrs

d  Multithreading practical multithreading
Programmin Models on operating
g  Thread Libraries systems in the
 Threading Issues computer lab

8 Concurrency  Concurrency  Demonstra Classroom 4 hrs

: Mutual Control tion discussion
Exclusion  Mutual Exclusion  Pairwise Pairs
and  The Critical- problem demonstrate
Synchronizat Section Problem solving synchronizatio
ion  Semaphores n solutions
 Classic Problems
of
Synchronization
 Monitors
 Synchronization
Examples

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9 Concurrency  System Model  Flipped Classroom 4 hrs
: Deadlock  Deadlock classroom discussion on
and Characterization  Group causes for
Starvation  Methods for research deadlocks
Handling Groups
Deadlocks demonstrate
 Deadlock deadlock
Prevention solutions
 Deadlock
Avoidance
 Deadlock
Detection
 Recovery from
Deadlock

10 Memory  Swapping Classroom 8 hrs

Management  Contiguous  Group discussion on
Memory research memory
Allocation  Tutorial management
 Paging Working out
 Structure of the example
Page Table questions
 Segmentation Groups
demonstrate
memory
management
techniques
11 File  Files  Lab Assignment 2 4 hrs
management  Access methods practical Exploring
 Protection  Homework Windows and
Linux file
 File System
systems
Implementation
 Allocation methods
 Free Space
Management
•
12 Disk  Disk Structure  Homework Students bring 8 hrs
Management  Disk Scheduling  Group different types
Algorithms presentatio of disks
ns Groups

demonstrate
application of
scheduling
algorithms

Assessment:

Intended Learning Topic(s) Assessment method(s)

outcome
1. Discuss the evolution Introduction to Operating Group Assignment 1
of operating systems. Systems Classroom presentation

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 - Presentation skills and
competencies [4]
- Content coverage [4]
- Practical examples [2]
2. Outline the services Computer System Questions covered in Test 1
provided by and the Overview
design of an
operating system

3. Illustrate the structure File Systems Assignment 2 [10]

and organization of
the file system

4. Examine Linux and Lab Practical Successful Installation of

windows operating Linux [10 marks]
system command line Use of command line interface
to carry out tasks [10]
and graphical user
interfaces

5. Schedule processes Process Scheduling Questions in Test 1

using different
algorithms

6. Apply appropriate Concurrency, mutual Group Assignment 2

solutions to solve exclusion and Classroom presentation
synchronization synchronization - Presentation skills and
competencies [4]
problems
- Content coverage [4]
- Practical examples [2]
7. Evaluate different Memory Managemnt Questions in Test 2
approaches to
memory management

8. Apply disk Disk Management Questions in Test 2

scheduling
algorithms to service
disk I/O requests

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References:

1. Stallings, W. (2018) Operating Systems: Internals and Design Principles, 9th Edition,
Pearson Education
2. Tomsho, G. (2017) Guide to Operating Systems, 5th edition, Cengage Learning
3. Silberchartz, A., Gagne, G and Galvin, B.P. (2018) Operating System Concepts, 10th
Edition

Academic integrity:

1) Students are required to exhibit honest and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of the
learning process. It must be emphasised that the academic credits which one earns are rooted
in the principles of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is an intentional act to gain an
unearned academic credit or advantage; such behaviour result in serious consequences such
as the grade of zero on an assignment or test. The following illustrates only three forms of
academic dishonesty:
 Plagiarism. e.g., the submission of work that is not own or for which other
credit has been
 obtained
 Improper collaboration in group work
 Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations
3) Students are encouraged to attend all lectures although this is not compulsory but, 75%
attendance is a must for lectures and 100% attendance for all tutorials.

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