CPU scheduling and real-time principles

The central question

How should processors be shared, and what changes when deadlines matter?

First half

Multiprogramming; scheduling criteria; FCFS, SJF, round robin and priorities; worked timelines.

Second half

Multicore considerations; starvation; hard and soft real time; deadlines; introductory rate-monotonic and EDF examples.

What you should be able to do

• Construct and compare scheduling timelines using stated assumptions.
• Distinguish responsiveness, fairness and deadline requirements.

A concrete example

Connect the mechanic servicing several cars to CPU bursts, waiting and dispatching, then compare scheduling timelines.

Reading reference

Operating System Concepts, 10th edition: Chapter 5. We use selected sections rather than every slide in each chapter.

Lecture materials

Read the Week 2 chapter with the mechanic-shop analogy, worked timelines, real-time examples and optional Ubuntu practice.

Download lecture slides (PDF, 67 slides)