Computer resources: Difference between revisions

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! Resource  !!  Description  
! Resource  !!  Description  
|-
|-
| primary memory || Primary Storage is the area in the computer where data is stored for quick access by the computer's processor. RAM is often synonymous with this term.
| Primary memory || Please read this article about [[Primary memory]].
|-
|-
| secondary storage || Secondary storage is storage that is non-volatile, meaning that the data is kept even when the device is turned off. The data within a secondary storage device is also held until deleted or overwritten. Examples of secondary storage devices are: Hard Drives (HDD), Solid-State Drive (SSD), Floppy Disks and USB Drives.
| Persistent storage || Please read this article about [[Persistent storage]]
|-
|-
| processor speed || Measured in MHz (megahertz) and GHz (gigahertz), this is the number of instructions per second that the processor can execute. The CPU asks the OS for specific tasks using a bootloader (a bootloader is a computer program that loads the operating system when the computer powers on) and interrupts. Interrupts are signals to the processor that alerts the processor to a high-priority condition requiring the interruption of the current task the processor is executing.
| CPU || When the OS runs a piece of software it has to find the program files on the storage drive, load them into main memory, and instruct the CPU to start executing the program from the beginning.
<br />
In each case, the OS performs the same sequence of steps:
 
# the program code is found on the storage drive
# a section of RAM is reserved for the program and space is allocated for the program's data
# the program code is copied from storage into the reserved space in the memory
# the CPU program counter is set to the memory location of the first instruction in the program, and execution begins
 
<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztcdtfr/revision/3</ref>
 
[https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/compare-different-cpus-right-way/ Please click this link for a good article describing how to compare CPU's]
 
|-
|-
| bandwidth || Bandwidth, which is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time, is expressed in multiples of bits per second in digital devices. In analog devices, it is expressed in hertz. A "bus" with low bandwidth can hamper a fast hard drive. The operating system allocates bandwidth to each program, input or output method.
| Network || Bandwidth, which is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time, is expressed in multiples of bits per second in digital devices. In analog devices, it is expressed in hertz. A "bus" with low bandwidth can hamper a fast hard drive. The operating system allocates bandwidth to each program, input or output method.
|-
|-
| screen resolution || Number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It is usually quoted as width × height for example, "1024 × 768." The Screen resolution depends on the operating system (OS), as such one can change the screen resolution through the OS.
| Display server || A display server or window server is a program whose primary task is to coordinate the input and output of its clients to and from the rest of the operating system, the hardware, and each other<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_server</ref>. The IB might call this screen resolution.
 
* The OS X operating system uses Quartz Compositor as a display server and of a window manager in the windowing system.
* The Windows operating system uses the Desktop Window Manager to render the graphical user interface
* The Linux operating system might use X11, wayland, mir or other display server and windows manager.  
|-
|-
|  disk storage || Disk storage is a storage mechanism where data is recorded using various methods : Electronic, magnetic, optic or mechanical. Disk storage is stored by a computer processor and communicates within a computer with the use of input and output operations (I/O). Disk storage is managed by the operating system by determining when to read and write from a storage point.
|  File system || In computing, a file system or filesystem (often abbreviated to fs), controls how data is stored and retrieved. Without a file system, data placed in a storage medium would be one large body of data with no way to tell where one piece of data stops and the next begins. By separating the data into pieces and giving each piece a name, the data is easily isolated and identified. Taking its name from the way paper-based data management system is named, each group of data is called a "file". The structure and logic rules used to manage the groups of data and their names is called a "file system".<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_system</ref> In general, the file system serves as an interface to persistent storage, but serves as an interface to removable storage.
|-
|-
| sound processor || Sound card - provides input and output of audio signals to and from a computer. Most sound cards use a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which converts recorded or generated digital data into an analog format. The output signal is connected to an amplifier, headphones, or external device
| Sound server || A sound server is software that manages the use of and access to audio devices (usually a sound card). It commonly runs as a background process.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_server</ref>
 
 
* The OS X operating system uses CoreAudio process to manage sound
* The Windows operating system uses Audio Processing Object Architecture
* The Linux operating system might use PulseAudio
 
|-  
|-  
| graphics processor || A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_processing_unit</ref>
|-
| cache || Cache memory is a small-sized type of volatile computer memory that provides high-speed data access to a processor and stores frequently used computer programs, applications and data. It is the fastest memory in a computer, and is typically integrated onto the motherboard and directly embedded in the processor or main random access memory (RAM).
|-
| network connectivity || Network connectivity relates to management of the hardware (network interface card) and the proper realization of the OSI model. Please see [[OSI model]] for a deeper understanding.
|}
|}


== Tools you can use to manage different parts of the Linux operating system ==  
== Tools you can use to understand what your operating system is doing ==  




{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! The OS manages  !!  Linux tools you can use to understand what is going on
! The OS manages  !!  Linux tools you can use || OS X tools you can use
|-
| Memory || top, htop, free, vmstat || top, vm_stat, (gui) Activity monitor
|-
|-
| Memory || top, htop, free, vmstat
| Processes || top || top, (gui) activity monitor
|-
|-
| Processes || top
| Files || File system, df, du, mount, lsof  || lsof, (gui) activity monitor
|-
|-
| Files || File system, df, du, mount, lsof
| Security || fstab, last, who, /var/log/auth.log || last, who, (gui) console
|-
|-
| Security || fstab, last, who, /var/log/auth.log
| CPU Scheduling || perf || (gui) Activity monitor
|-
|-
| CPU Scheduling || perf
| Devices, Device I/O|| iotop, iostat || (gui) activity monitor
|-
|-
| Devices, Device I/O|| iotop, iostat
| Interrupts || perf || ??
|-
|-
| Interrupts || perf
| Networks || netstat, top, tcpdump, iptraf, iftop, nmon || netstat
|-
|-
| Networks || netstat, top, tcpdump, iptraf, iftop, nmon
| DNS || cat /etc/resolv.conf || scutil --dns, cat /etc/resolv.conf
 
|}
|}




[[Media:Linux observability tools.png | Click here for a brilliant graphic showing the different types of tools you can use to view inside the Linux operating system]]
[[Media:Linux observability tools.png | Click here for a brilliant graphic showing the different types of tools you can use to view inside the Linux operating system]]


== an excellent video to get you started ==
== an excellent video to get you started ==
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== an image to help you see this in context ==  
== Visual to help you see this in context ==  
This image is used with gratitude from good old wikipedia! <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system</ref>
This image is used with gratitude from wikipedia <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system</ref>
<br />
<br />


Latest revision as of 09:58, 1 September 2022

Resource Management[1]

A system resource is any usable part of a computer that can be controlled and assigned by the operating system so all of the hardware and software on the computer can work together as designed. System resources can be used by users, like you, when you open programs and apps, as well as by services which are usually started automatically your operating system. Note: A system resource is sometimes called hardware resource, computer resource, or just resource.[2]

Resources which needs to be managed[edit]

Resource Description
Primary memory Please read this article about Primary memory.
Persistent storage Please read this article about Persistent storage
CPU When the OS runs a piece of software it has to find the program files on the storage drive, load them into main memory, and instruct the CPU to start executing the program from the beginning.


In each case, the OS performs the same sequence of steps:

  1. the program code is found on the storage drive
  2. a section of RAM is reserved for the program and space is allocated for the program's data
  3. the program code is copied from storage into the reserved space in the memory
  4. the CPU program counter is set to the memory location of the first instruction in the program, and execution begins

[3]

Please click this link for a good article describing how to compare CPU's

Network Bandwidth, which is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time, is expressed in multiples of bits per second in digital devices. In analog devices, it is expressed in hertz. A "bus" with low bandwidth can hamper a fast hard drive. The operating system allocates bandwidth to each program, input or output method.
Display server A display server or window server is a program whose primary task is to coordinate the input and output of its clients to and from the rest of the operating system, the hardware, and each other[4]. The IB might call this screen resolution.
  • The OS X operating system uses Quartz Compositor as a display server and of a window manager in the windowing system.
  • The Windows operating system uses the Desktop Window Manager to render the graphical user interface
  • The Linux operating system might use X11, wayland, mir or other display server and windows manager.
File system In computing, a file system or filesystem (often abbreviated to fs), controls how data is stored and retrieved. Without a file system, data placed in a storage medium would be one large body of data with no way to tell where one piece of data stops and the next begins. By separating the data into pieces and giving each piece a name, the data is easily isolated and identified. Taking its name from the way paper-based data management system is named, each group of data is called a "file". The structure and logic rules used to manage the groups of data and their names is called a "file system".[5] In general, the file system serves as an interface to persistent storage, but serves as an interface to removable storage.
Sound server A sound server is software that manages the use of and access to audio devices (usually a sound card). It commonly runs as a background process.[6]


  • The OS X operating system uses CoreAudio process to manage sound
  • The Windows operating system uses Audio Processing Object Architecture
  • The Linux operating system might use PulseAudio

Tools you can use to understand what your operating system is doing[edit]

The OS manages Linux tools you can use OS X tools you can use
Memory top, htop, free, vmstat top, vm_stat, (gui) Activity monitor
Processes top top, (gui) activity monitor
Files File system, df, du, mount, lsof lsof, (gui) activity monitor
Security fstab, last, who, /var/log/auth.log last, who, (gui) console
CPU Scheduling perf (gui) Activity monitor
Devices, Device I/O iotop, iostat (gui) activity monitor
Interrupts perf ??
Networks netstat, top, tcpdump, iptraf, iftop, nmon netstat
DNS cat /etc/resolv.conf scutil --dns, cat /etc/resolv.conf


Click here for a brilliant graphic showing the different types of tools you can use to view inside the Linux operating system

an excellent video to get you started[edit]

Visual to help you see this in context[edit]

This image is used with gratitude from wikipedia [7]

OperatingSystem.png

Standards[edit]

  • Identify the resources that need to be managed within a computer system.
  • Evaluate the resources available in a variety of computer systems.


References[edit]

  1. ↑ http://www.flaticon.com/
  2. ↑ https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-system-resource-2626016
  3. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztcdtfr/revision/3
  4. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_server
  5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_system
  6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_server
  7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system

a group or system of interconnected people or things.

a group or system of interconnected people or things.

The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.

Provide an answer from a number of possibilities. Recognize and state briefly a distinguishing fact or feature.

Assess the implications and limitations; make judgments about the ideas, works, solutions or methods in relation to selected criteria.

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