Operating System as a Resource Manager

An operating system acts as a resource manager by allocating and managing the computer’s hardware and software resources, such as memory, storage, and processing power, among the various programs and processes running on the system. The operating system also controls access to these resources, ensuring that they are used efficiently and fairly. This includes managing input/output operations, scheduling tasks, and managing system memory and storage.

Time multiplexing and space multiplexing are two techniques that operating systems use as resource managers to efficiently allocate and manage system resources.

Time multiplexing is a technique where the operating system allocates a fixed amount of time to each process, allowing each process to execute for a certain period before switching to the next process. The scheduler of the operating system did this, scheduler of the operating system did this. This technique allows multiple processes to share the same processor, memory, and other resources, allowing the system to handle multiple tasks at the same time.

Space multiplexing, also known as memory partitioning, is a technique where the operating system allocates a fixed amount of memory to each process, allowing each process to use a certain amount of memory without interfering with other processes. This allows the operating system to efficiently use memory resources by allocating the only amount of memory to each process and preventing any one process from using too much memory.

The operating system uses both techniques to optimize the use of resources and ensure that each process has the resources it needs to run efficiently. The operating system uses a combination of both techniques to manage resources, allowing it to schedule and allocate resources in a way that maximizes system performance and efficiency while minimizing conflicts and wasted resources.