Core Mechanics: Unraveling Operating Systems

Table of Contents

1. Understanding the Core: An Introduction to Operating Systems
- Defining Operating Systems: Purposes and Principles
- History and Evolution of Modern Operating Systems
- Types of Operating Systems and Their Uses

2. The Boot Process: Starting Up Your System
- From Power-On to Bootloader: The Initial Steps
- Delving into BIOS and UEFI: Understanding Firmware
- The Role of the Kernel during System Startup

3. Memory Management: The Art of Allocation
- Fundamentals of Memory Hierarchy
- Advanced Memory Allocation Techniques
- Virtual Memory: Concepts and Implementation

4. Process Scheduling: The Orchestra of Tasks
- Understanding Process and Thread Basics
- Scheduling Algorithms: Priorities and Performance
- Multi-threading and Concurrency: Challenges and Strategies

5. File Systems: Organizing Data
- The Blueprint of File Systems: Structure and Function
- File System Types and Attributes
- Security and Permissions: Protecting Data Integrity

6. Interprocess Communication: The Collaboration
- Mechanisms of Interprocess Communication (IPC)
- Synchronization and Deadlock Prevention
- Pipes, Sockets, and Shared Memory Techniques

7. System Calls and API: Bridging the User and Kernel Space
- The Fundamentals of System Calls
- API Layers: Interfaces for Application Development
- Case Studies: System Call Implementation in Various OS

8. Security in Operating Systems: Safeguarding Information
- Fundamental Security Concepts and Threats
- Authentication and Authorization Mechanisms
- Cryptography and Operating System-Level Defense

9. Input/Output Management: Communicating with Hardware
- I/O System Overview: Devices and Drivers
- Buffering, Spooling, and Device Management
- Optimizing I/O Performance: Techniques and Challenges

10. Advanced Input/Ouput: Managing Complex Systems
- RAID Levels and Their Implications
- SAN and NAS Configurations for Enterprises
- High Availability and Fault Tolerance in I/O Management

11. Networking and Operating Systems: The Interconnected Era
- Networking Basics within the OS Environment
- Design and Management of Network Protocols
- Integration of Distributed Systems and Cloud Infrastructure

12. Future of Operating Systems: Emerging Technologies and Concepts
- Innovations in Operating System Design
- Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Challenges and Opportunities in Next-Generation Operating Systems