DAT103 Computers and Operating Systems

Contents and structure

The course will give insight about the operating principles of computer.  The students will gain the fundamental knowledge about how the resources of a computer can be optimally organised and administrated.  This knowledge will form the basis for the use, evaluation and operation of existing operating systems.  This course will also convey experience in using UNIX operating system.

Content

• Operating principles of computer, particularly CPU. 
• Overview of shell-programing and Unix-commands
• Assembly instructions
• Operating principles of system calls and demonstration of assembly programs in the debugger
• Cache
• Registers, memory, bus-systems and exceptions during program execution
• Overview of different types of operating systems
• Internal structure of operating systems
• Administration of processes
• Concurrent processes and threads
  • Scheduling algorithms
  • Synchronisation, semaphores, and deadlocks
• How the operating system manages storage, swap and virtual memory

 

Learning Outcome

After completing the course, the students shall be able to:

Knowledge

• Describe the operating principles of computer and its various components
• Describe the internal structure of operating systems
• Describe the operating principles of simple assembly programs

Skills

• Use the services of operating systems in one's own programs

General competence

• Find and use information from relevant sources to solve concrete problems

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

ING102 and MAT101, or equivalent courses.

Teaching methods

Lectures, practical exercises and project work in the lab.

Compulsory learning activities

3-4 compulsory exercises must be completed within the given deadlines and approved before taking the exam.

Approved exercises can also give access to postponed examination in the following semester.  However, before a new postponed exam can be taken (the next time the subject is taught), new exercises must be delivered.

Assessment

Written exam, 4 hours.

Time and place for the exam will be announced on Studentweb and digital exam system.

The exam will be held on a digital exam system. Students must bring their own computer. The software required for the exam must be installed and tested before the exam day.

Grading scale is A-F where F is fail.

Oral exam is possible in case of low enrolment.

Examination support material

None.

More about examination support material

Course reductions

• TOD077 - Datamaskiner og operativsystemer - Reduction: 10 studypoints