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.
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
From the academic year 2024-2025 on every student has to register for courses with the new enrollment tool MyStudymap. There are two registration periods per year: registration for the fall semester opens in July and registration for the spring semester opens in December. Please see this page for more information. An exemption is the fall semester for 1st year bachelor students, the student administration will enroll this group.
Please note that it is compulsory to register for every exam and retake. Not being registered for a course means that you are not allowed to participate in the final exam of the course.
Extensive FAQ on MyStudymap can be found here.