Resource Management and the computer Operating System
Note: This is an HL ONLY topic.
As we’ve seen in previous notes, even a simple computer has many different resources that need to be used in an efficient way to make the computer work as well as possible. We call this process resource management.
- RAM
- If it runs out: process can’t run OR everything runs slow or other bad things
- Cache
- Processor operations / speed
- If it runs out or is poorly managed: You wait a long time for things to complete OR your computer crashes OR some process get stuck
- Internet or Network bandwidth (Topic 3 of the IB!)
- If you don’t have enough: you will get slow download speeds and packet loss, slowing things down even more. If it’s poorly managed, some processes may be able to destroy the internet of other processes.
- Graphics processor speed
- If you don’t have enough: you can’t game bro (or even like stream video or have a high resolution or whatever.)
- Screen resolution (how much can fit on your screen)
- If you don’t have enough: you can’t fit enough on your screen. AHHHHHHH.
- Storage space / secondary memory
- You don’t have space. You may not be able to save files, including temporary files. This can actually cause problems with the OS, including issues with virtual memory.
- Input and output device bandwidth (like how fast is your external hard drive)
- may have delays when using input / output devices
Like all “thinking” that happens in your computer, this is managed primarily by the Control Unit, but, of course, the Control Unit only does what it is told to do by software.