In my course on operating systems and computer architecture, I gained a thorough understanding of how layering and abstraction are used to simplify complex computer processes. I learned how operating systems manage physical and logical resources, optimizing performance while ensuring security. This included diving deep into key concepts such as processor architecture, kernel functions, system calls, and the management of processes and threads.
The course provided hands-on experience with concurrency and synchronization, allowing me to effectively parallelize and synchronize programs using processes and threads. I also explored memory management techniques like paging, segmentation, and page replacement algorithms, gaining insight into how virtual memory works. Additionally, I learned about file system implementation, how data is stored on physical media, and how modern operating systems handle input/output operations and prevent deadlocks.
Key security topics were covered as well, including malware, memory security, and object safety, providing me with a strong foundation in securing low-level systems. Through practical exercises, I developed troubleshooting and debugging skills while working on low-level system programming tasks. This course has equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills to work efficiently with operating systems, from parallelism and virtualisation to memory and resource management, preparing me to solve both theoretical and practical challenges in the field.