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Functions of Kernel

The kernel is essential for managing processes, memory, devices, file systems, resources, security, and inter-process communication in a computer system. It acts as an interface between user applications and hardware, ensuring smooth operation by handling tasks like scheduling and resource allocation. Different types of kernels, such as monolithic and microkernels, provide various balances of performance and flexibility in operating systems.

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7 views6 pages

Functions of Kernel

The kernel is essential for managing processes, memory, devices, file systems, resources, security, and inter-process communication in a computer system. It acts as an interface between user applications and hardware, ensuring smooth operation by handling tasks like scheduling and resource allocation. Different types of kernels, such as monolithic and microkernels, provide various balances of performance and flexibility in operating systems.

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vaibhavabhisheksinghunnao
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Functions of Kernel

The kernel is responsible for various critical functions that ensure the smooth operation of the computer system. These functions include:

1. Process Management

Scheduling and execution of processes.

Context switching between processes.

Process creation and termination.

2. Memory Management

Allocation and deallocation of memory space.


Managing virtual memory.

Handling memory protection and sharing.

3. Device Management

Managing input/output devices.

Providing a unified interface for hardware devices.

Handling device driver communication.

4. File System Management


Managing file operations and storage.

Handling file system mounting and unmounting.

Providing a file system interface to applications.

5. Resource Management

Managing system resources (CPU time, disk space, network bandwidth)

Allocating and deallocating resources as needed

Monitoring resource usage and enforcing resource limits


6. Security and Access Control

Enforcing access control policies.

Managing user permissions and authentication.

Ensuring system security and integrity.

7. Inter-Process Communication

Facilitating communication between processes.

Providing mechanisms like message passing and shared memory.

Working of Kernel

A kernel loads first into memory when an operating system is loaded and remains in memory until the operating system is shut down again. It is
responsible for various tasks such as disk management , task management, and memory management .
The kernel has a process table that keeps track of all active processes

The process table contains a per-process region table whose entry points to entries in the region table.

The kernel loads an executable file into memory during the 'exec' system call'.

It decides which process should be allocated to the processor to execute and which process should be kept in the main memory to execute. It
basically acts as an interface between user applications and hardware. The major aim of the kernel is to manage communication between
software i.e. user-level applications and hardware i.e., CPU and disk memory.

Objectives of Kernel :

To establish communication between user-level applications and hardware.

To decide the state of incoming processes.

To control disk management.

To control memory management.

To control task management.


Conclusion :

Kernels are the heart of operating systems , managing how hardware and software communicate and ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Different types of kernels—like monolithic, microkernels, hybrid kernels, and others—offer various ways to balance performance, flexibility, and
ease of maintenance. Understanding these kernel types helps us appreciate how operating systems work and how they handle the complex
tasks required to keep our computers and devices running efficiently.

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