OSC: Case Study Topic Guide: Windows

From SOFTICE

Contents 1 Phase I: Case Study Overview 2 Phase II: Core Bibliography 3 Phase III: Technical tutorial

Case Study Topic Guide: Linux Kernel

This document completes the general guidelines for the case study assignment for students interested in the “Windows Operating Systems” family of topics.

Phase I: Case Study Overview

If you choose this topic, you will be expected to write an introductory document covering the following items:

• Make sure you have a brief synopsis to start your presentation: e.g. what are the various existing windows operating systems? What is each of them specifics?

• Provide an overview of the components of the windows XP (or vista) operating system’s kernel.
  • You will provide a diagram illustrating the windows XP kernel architecture and classify it according to what we discussed in class
  • You will stress out the dependencies between components (which component depends on which and what is the nature of their dependency)
  • Provide references to the source of information you used

• Possible components to focus on;
  • Process manager
  • Scheduler
  • Memory manager
  • Device drivers
  • Inter Process Communication services implementation
  • …

Phase II: Core Bibliography

This phase of your case study will have to focus on one specific kernel component of your choice. You need to focus on finding information about the implementation of this component (algorithms & data structures used, differences with other OSes or previous versions of windows, strength and weaknesses, performance benchmark information…)

The bibliography phase might be shorter than for other topics in so far that OSes have generally only a couple of sites or books devoted to their kernel implementation. In the case of windows, periodicals might be of great help.

Make sure you cover your bases and do not miss references on your OS of choice and then move on to phase III as soon as possible to give you more time to devote to the technical report and OS component study.

Make sure you discuss with your instructor which aspect you will be covering in your technical tutorial so that you can focus on it during this information gathering phase.

Phase III: Technical tutorial

Depending on the OS component you chose, you will have to produce a well-focused technical tutorial. The objective is to synthesize your readings and design a 15 minutes PowerPoint-based presentation which will enable your colleagues to become knowledgeable on the implementation of the OS component you chose.

Objectives should include;

• Explain the algorithm & data structures used in this component
• Compare the design to the OSes discussed in class (mainly Linux) and previous versions of windows
• Under line the strength and weakness as well as the parameters which can be used to finely tune this component form user-space.
• Compare performance of this component to other OSes or previous versions of windows, use published benchmarks

As explained in the general guidelines your work has to be original, if you find many similar tutorials during Phase II, you need to find a way to distinguish yourself and provide an original contribution of your own.