Process Scheduling
Process scheduling is the activity of determining which process should be executed next by
the operating system. It's a crucial component of process management.
Goals of Process Scheduling:
Fairness: Each process should get a fair share of CPU time.
Efficiency: The system should maximize CPU utilization.
Responsiveness: Interactive processes should be given priority.
Predictability: The system should provide predictable response times.
Scheduling Algorithms:
1. First-Come, First-Served (FCFS):
o Processes are executed in the order they arrive.
o Simple, but can be inefficient if a long-running process is scheduled first.
2. Shortest Job First (SJF):
o Processes with the shortest estimated running time are executed first.
o Optimal for minimizing average waiting time, but requires accurate estimates
of running times.
3. Priority Scheduling:
o Processes are assigned priorities, and those with higher priorities are executed
first.
o Can be preemptive (higher-priority processes can interrupt lower-priority
ones) or non-preemptive.
4. Round Robin:
o Each process is given a fixed time quantum. If a process doesn't finish within
its quantum, it's preempted and placed at the end of the ready queue.
o Provides a degree of fairness and responsiveness.
5. Multilevel Feedback Queue:
o Multiple ready queues are maintained, each with a different priority level.
o Processes can be moved between queues based on their behavior.
Scheduling Criteria:
Turnaround time: The time interval between the submission of a process and its
completion.
Waiting time: The time a process spends waiting in the ready queue.
Response time: The time from when a process becomes ready to when it receives the
first CPU burst.
Throughput: The number of processes completed per unit time.
Additional Considerations:
Preemptive vs. Non-preemptive: Preemptive scheduling allows a higher-priority
process to interrupt a lower-priority process.
Time-sharing: For interactive systems, time-sharing is often used to provide
responsiveness.
Real-time scheduling: For systems with strict deadlines, real-time scheduling
algorithms are used.
Choosing the Right Algorithm:
The best scheduling algorithm depends on the specific needs of the system. Factors to
consider include:
The type of workload (interactive, batch, real-time)
The desired performance metrics (e.g., fairness, throughput, response time)
The characteristics of the processes (e.g., CPU-bound, I/O-bound)
By understanding different scheduling algorithms and their characteristics, you can choose
the most appropriate one for your specific use case.
