Prospectus

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Operating Systems and Networks

Course
2024-2025

Admission requirements

Recommended prerequisites: Programming techniques, Computer architecture, Algorithms, Data structures.

Description

The "Operating Systems and Networks" (OS&N) course offers a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles of operating systems and computer networks. The course is structured to provide students with a solid understanding of how operating systems function and manage hardware resources, alongside a deep dive into the organization and protocols of computer networks, focusing on the Internet. Through lectures, hands-on programming assignments, and practical exercises, students will gain the skills necessary to design, implement, and troubleshoot both operating systems and networked applications.

Course objectives

  • Understand Fundamental Concepts of Computer Systems: Grasp the basic structure and components of computer systems, including hardware and software interactions.

  • Comprehend Operating System Structures and Design: Learn about different OS structures, design philosophies, and how they manage system resources.

  • Master System Calls and Interprocess Communication: Gain practical knowledge of system calls, process management, and various IPC mechanisms.

  • Implement CPU Scheduling Algorithms: study and apply different CPU scheduling algorithms to optimize CPU utilization.

  • Manage Virtual Memory Effectively: Understand virtual memory concepts, including page tables, paging mechanisms, and strategies to handle thrashing.

  • Explore File System Interfaces and Implementations: Learn about file system architectures, memory-mapped I/O, and implement basic file system components.

  • Understand Internet Protocols and Organization: Study the organization of the Internet, key components such as ISPs and routers, and fundamental Internet protocols including TCP/IP.

  • Develop Skills in Socket Programming: Gain hands-on experience in socket programming to build and manage network applications, including client-server models.

Timetable

In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.

Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.

Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.

Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.

Mode of instruction

Lecture, lab classes.

Assessment method

The assessment consists of two parts: a theoretical and a practical part. The grade for both parts must be sufficient (>= 5.5) to pass the course.

The theoretical part is tested with a written exam at the end of the semester and counts for 60%.

The grade for the practical part counts for 40% and will be determined on the basis of assignments. This figure is a weighted average of the results of these assignments. . In order to pass the practical part, all assignments must be submitted and the final average practical grade must be satisfactory (>= 5.5). Assignments that have not been submitted will not receive a grade. The minimum grade of a (submitted) assignment is "1". If the exam has been passed, but the practical is incomplete, no final grade will be calculated and submitted. A resit of the practical is possible in consultation with the lecturer, but only if the (re)exam has been passed.

The lecturer will inform the students how the inspection and debriefing of the exam will take place.

Reading list

  • Operating System Concepts, 10th Edition (Global Edition). Abraham Silberschatz, Peter B. Galvin, Greg Gagne. 2019. Wiley Publishing. ISBN-13 978-1119454083.

  • Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 7th Edition, Jim Kurose and Keith W. Ross, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0133594140

Registration

As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.

In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.

There are two enrolment periods per year:

  • Enrolment for the fall opens in July

  • Enrolment for the spring opens in December

See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.

Note:

  • It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.

  • Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.

  • Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.

Contact

Remarks

Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.