R. S. Fabry – Communications of the ACM

Research and Advances Jul 1 1977

This paper presents a scheme for classifying scheduling algorithms based on an abstract model of a scheduling system which formalizes the notion of priority. Various classes of scheduling algorithms are defined and related to existing algorithms. A criterion for the implementation efficiency of an algorithm is developed and results in the definition of time-invariant algorithms, which include most of the commonly implemented ones. For time-invariant algorithms, the dependence of processing rates on priorities is derived. The abstract model provides a framework for implementing flexible schedulers in real operating systems. The policy-driven scheduler of Bernstein and Sharp is discussed as an example of

Author Archives

Research and Advances May 1 1976

MIN—an optimal variable-space page replacement algorithm

A criterion for comparing variable space page replacement algorithms is presented. An optimum page replacement algorithm, called VMIN, is described and shown to be optimum with respect to this criterion. The results of simulating VMIN, Denning's working set, and the page partitioning replacement algorithms on five virtual memory programs are presented to demonstrate the improvement possible over the known realizable variable space algorithms.

Research and Advances Jul 1 1974

Capability-based addressing

Various addressing schemes making use of segment tables are examined. The inadequacies of these schemes when dealing with shared addresses are explained. These inadequacies are traced to the lack of an efficient absolute address for objects in these systems. The direct use of a capability as an address is shown to overcome these difficulties because it provides the needed absolute address. Implementation of capability-based addressing is discussed. It is predicted that the use of tags to identify capabilities will dominate. A hardware address translation scheme which never requires the modification of the representation of capabilities is suggested. The scheme uses a main memory hash table for obtaining a segment's location in main memory given its unique code. The hash table is avoided for recently accessed segments by means of a set of associative registers. A computer using capability-based addressing may be substantially superior to present systems on the basis of protection, simplicity of programming conventions, and efficient implementation.

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Nov 1 1973

Dynamic verification of operating system decisions

Dynamic verification of a decision implies that every time the decision is made there is a consistency check performed on the decision using independent hardware and software. The dynamic verification of operating system decisions is used on the PRIME system being designed and constructed at the University of California, Berkeley. PRIME is an experimental time-sharing system which is to have the properties of continuous availability, data privacy, and cost effectiveness. The technique of dynamic verification allows the construction of an operating system which does not make certain decisions improperly even in the presence of a single hardware or software fault. Furthermore, multiple faults lead to unreliable operation only if the faults happen to reinforce each other. On PRIME, dynamic verification is used to ensure that one user's information cannot become available to another user gratuitously even in the presence of a single hardware or software fault. The amount of additional hardware and software required for dynamic verification can be modest.

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