cst 334: week 7

In this weeks readings, I learned about IO devices, hard drives, file systems, and how all of these parts work together to manage data. I first started off with reading about IO devices, which include anything that lets a computer interact with external hardware like keyboards, printers, or external storage. The OS acts as a manager, ensuring that each device gets the attention it needs without causing delays or conflicts.

Next, I read about how hard drives store and access data. Hard drives use spinning platters and a moving arm to read and write data, which means timing and placement of data can tend to impact performance. To help improve reliability and speed, systems can use RAID, aka Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks. RAID uses multiple drives to either back up data, spread it out for faster access, or both. It can help protect against data loss and can make storage faster depending on the setup.

I also learned how files and directories are used to keep data organized. The OS create structures so that users can name and find files easily. Below that, the file system handles the details like tracking where each file is stored, which parts of the disk are in use, and how to manage free space. It also takes care of reading and writing data things are secure and efficient. 

Overall, this week helped me see how the OS manages all the moving elements that are involved in storing and retrieving data as well as keeping things running smoothly even when there are lots of activity happening at the same time.