This book is concerned with the design of operating systems, which is to say it enumerates the problems that pop up in the creation of efficient systems and explores alternative ways of dealing with them, detailing the advantages and shortcomings of each. For example, in their chapter on scheduling CPU activity, the authors explain several algorithms (first-come, first-served, and round-robin scheduling, among others) for allocating the capacity of single and multiple processors among jobs. They highlight the relative advantages of each, and explain how several real-life operating systems solve the problem. They then present the reader with exercises (this book is essentially a university textbook) that inspire thought and discussion. --David Wall

Topics covered: The problems faced by designers of system software for electronic computers, and strategies that have been developed over the past 20 years to address (and, in some cases, solve) them. Problems of CPU scheduling, memory allocation, paging, processes and threads, storage management, distributed processes and storage mechanisms, and security are all discussed thoroughly and with many authoritative references.

The latest edition of this bestselling book provides a solid theoretical foundation for understanding operating systems. Authors Abraham Silberschatz and Peter Galvin discuss key concepts that are applicable to a variety of systems. They also present a large number of examples from common operating systems, including Windows and Solaris 2. Two case studies illustrate Windows NT and Linux. Chapters on Memory Management, Virtual Memory, Network Structures, and Security have been updated significantly.