Operating Systems

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Return to Course
Print Guideline
Course
CSIS 2260
Discontinued
No
Course code
CSIS 2260
Descriptive
Operating Systems
Department
Computing Studies & Information Systems
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
202030
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
Lectures: 36, Laboratories: 12
Contact hours
Lectures: 2 Hours per week Laboratories: 2 Hours per week Total: 4 Hours per week
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

Lecture, seminar, demonstration, and hands-on exercises in the lab

Course description
This course introduces the major components of operating systems, such as memory management, processor management, process management and file management. Emphasis will be placed on system performance under different design alternatives. Some popular operating systems, such as Windows, Unix/Linux, and Android may be used to illustrate their implementations. Students are required to work on at least two operating systems. This course is suitable for students who wish to learn more about the operating system process under different system environments, such as mobile, desktop and server environments. This course may involve group work.
Course content
  • Introduction to computer hardware
  • Computer systems overview
  • Fundamentals of microprocessor architecture and instruction cycle
  • Memory management and virtual memory
  • Processor management
  • Process and thread management
  • Input/Output management and RAID
  • Accessing files and directories
  • System commands and scripting
  • System help facilities and services
  • Problem solving for operating systems
Learning outcomes
  • Identify different hardware components within a computer system
  • Identify the system components that are managed by the operating system
  • Describe the major components and functions of operating systems
  • Explain memory management and its performance implications
  • Demonstrate the differences between process and thread
  • Analyze the applications of different RAID levels
  • Demonstrate the performance implications of different file management mechanisms
  • Manage popular operating systems such as Linux/Unix and Windows systems
  • Use systems’ help facilities
  • Perform operating system commands and scripting to execute different computer tasks
  • Manipulate files and directories within the operating system
  • Identify system problems and provide possible solutions
Means of assessment

Assignments/labs                15%-30%
Quiz(zes)*                          10%-25%
Midterm Examination*         25%-40%
Final Examination*              25%-40%
Total                                         100%

*** In order to pass the course, students must, in addition to receiving an overall course grade of 50%, also achieve a grade of at least 50% on the combined weighted examination components (including quizzes, tests, exams).

Textbook materials

Mchoes, A. and Flynn, I. Understanding Operating Systems, Latest Ed, Cengage Learning.

or

other textbook approved by the CSIS department.

Prerequisites

Pre-Calculus 11 (C or better) or Foundations of Math 11 (C or better) or MATU 0410 (C or better) or approved substitute OR currently active in:

PDD Emerging Technology

PBD Computer and Information Systems

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses
Which prerequisite

CSIS 2280