Overview

COMP 314 examines how the hardware components of the computer are orchestrated by the operating system to provide the user/programmer with efficient and convenient service and high degree of machine independence in writing and executing programs and in managing system resources.

The main concerns of this course are the fundamental principles and concepts of operating systems.

Computer organization is a vast topic that cannot be covered in the frame of a single course. A number of important topics—such as the design and implementation of digital circuits and other hardware components, machine language and assembler language programming, and an in-depth survey of existing hardware architectures—are not covered in this course.

It is assumed that students are familiar with the basic structure and the main hardware components of the computer. Topics covered in COMP 314 include an overview of computer-system structures and operating-system structures; process management (what a process is, CPU scheduling, process synchronization, deadlocks, and inter-process communication); storage management (memory management, virtual memory, disk management, and file-system management); protection and security issues (access matrix and its implementations, authentication, viruses and other intruders, and encryption); and an overview of distributed systems (network structures, distributed system structures, and distributed file systems).

Outline

COMP 314 consists of the following four units.

• Section 1: Introduction
• Section 2: Computer System Structures
• Section 3: Operating System Structures

• Section 1: Processes
• Section 2: CPU Scheduling
• Section 3: Process Synchronization
• Section 4: Deadlocks

• Section 1: Memory Management
• Section 2: Virtual Memory
• Section 3: File System Interface
• Section 4: File System Implementation
• Section 5: Secondary Storage Structure

• Section 1: Protection
• Section 2: Security

Evaluation

To receive credit in COMP 314, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent), including a grade of 50 percent on each assignment, and at least 50 percent on the final examination.

TME 1	TME 2	TME 3	Final Exam	Total
10%	10%	25%	55%	100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Silberschatz, A., Galvin, P. B. & Gagne, G. (2004). Operating system concepts. 7th ed. Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-69466-5.

Other material

The remainder of the learning materials for COMP 314 is distributed in electronic format or is available from the course or other Web sites. The materials in these categories presently include:

Distributed in Electronic Format:

• Computer Science 314 Study Guide.

Available from the Course website:

• Tutor Marked Exercises and Instructions.
• A Course Evaluation Form.
• Links to Other Web-based Course Resources.

Special Course Features

Computing and Information Systems courses at Athabasca University require that students use computer mediated communications. We expect students to have access to computer equipment with a minimum configuration.

Special Instructional Features

Delivery of COMP 314 is dependent upon computer mediated communications. Students are required to have access to the World Wide Web.