Module: TM129
Assignment: TMA 02
Page 1 of 12
,Question 1
i) Daemon is a background processor in Linux that runs in the
background and is activated by specific event, e.g. a printer
daemon will take care of printer services. Two roles that can be
carried out by daemons is rebooting and solving problems such
as repair system errors and monitoring hard disk health.
ii) The difference between Linux and GNU is that GNU is an
operating system designed as a replacement UNIX whilst Linux is
an operating system with both GNU and Linux kernel software.
iii) The difference between hard real time systems and soft real time
systems is that a failure to meet one deadline in hard RTS results
in a complete system failure whereas a soft RTS one or more
failures to meet are deadline are considered as degraded
performance.
iv) A user group plays an important role in Linux systems as they
provide a select group of users easy access to share files with
one another and allows for system administrators to effectively
manage privileges as it is done in groups and not on an individual
basis.
v) I/O buffering is the process of smoothing the difference in rate at
which the two devices can handle data as it is passed between
the processor and a peripheral.
Page 2 of 12
, b) The UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is utilised by
Windows to support the handoff of systems from SoC firmware boot loader
to OS. The UEFI initialises the hardware components and starts the OS
stored on the hard disk driver when a computer starts up.
UEFI has features and advantages in comparison to BIOS as it was created
to replace BIOS. UEFI provides faster boot time whereas BIOS has driver
support stored on its ROM thus updating BIOS firmware is more difficult.
UEFI runs in 32bit or 64bit and able to provide a GUI whereas BIOS runs in
16bit thus navigation is only possible with a keyboard.
c) Table 1.1
Page 3 of 12
Assignment: TMA 02
Page 1 of 12
,Question 1
i) Daemon is a background processor in Linux that runs in the
background and is activated by specific event, e.g. a printer
daemon will take care of printer services. Two roles that can be
carried out by daemons is rebooting and solving problems such
as repair system errors and monitoring hard disk health.
ii) The difference between Linux and GNU is that GNU is an
operating system designed as a replacement UNIX whilst Linux is
an operating system with both GNU and Linux kernel software.
iii) The difference between hard real time systems and soft real time
systems is that a failure to meet one deadline in hard RTS results
in a complete system failure whereas a soft RTS one or more
failures to meet are deadline are considered as degraded
performance.
iv) A user group plays an important role in Linux systems as they
provide a select group of users easy access to share files with
one another and allows for system administrators to effectively
manage privileges as it is done in groups and not on an individual
basis.
v) I/O buffering is the process of smoothing the difference in rate at
which the two devices can handle data as it is passed between
the processor and a peripheral.
Page 2 of 12
, b) The UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is utilised by
Windows to support the handoff of systems from SoC firmware boot loader
to OS. The UEFI initialises the hardware components and starts the OS
stored on the hard disk driver when a computer starts up.
UEFI has features and advantages in comparison to BIOS as it was created
to replace BIOS. UEFI provides faster boot time whereas BIOS has driver
support stored on its ROM thus updating BIOS firmware is more difficult.
UEFI runs in 32bit or 64bit and able to provide a GUI whereas BIOS runs in
16bit thus navigation is only possible with a keyboard.
c) Table 1.1
Page 3 of 12
