Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Distance Learning Programmes Division

Second Semester 2007-2008

Mid-Semester Test
(EC-1 Regular)

Course No. : CS ZG623
Course Title : ADVANCED OPERATING SYSTEMS
Nature of Exam : Closed Book
Weightage : 40%
Duration : 2 Hours
Date of Exam : 03/02/2008 (AN)
Note:
1. Please follow all the Instructions to Candidates given on the cover page of the answer book.
2. All parts of a question should be answered consecutively. Each answer should start from a fresh page.
3. Mobile phones and computers of any kind should not be brought inside the examination hall.
4. Use of any unfair means will result in severe disciplinary action.
5. Assume suitable data wherever necessary. Write precisely.

Q.1 For the following time space diagram, using Birman-Schiper-Stephenson and Schiper-Eggli-Sandoz
protocols find out if there is any causal order violation amongst the message sends and receives. If
you think that the protocols described in the textbook will not work for the below diagram, you are
free to modify those protocols. Mention also the necessary modifications you wish to have on those
protocols if you feel so. Show also the timestamps for both the protocols separately.


[12]
Q.2 Assume that you have a distributed system with low to moderate load. Give an example showing the
working of Singhals heuristic algorithm to solve distributed mutual exclusion problem using a
token based approach. How do you rate this algorithm over Suzuki-Kasamis broadcast based in
terms of performance when load is moderate? Explain. [10]

Q.3 In the following wait for graph, detect a distributed deadlock if any, viewing the model as an OR
model wait for graph. Show all the messages (with Num and Wait) that will flow over the edges to
detect the deadlock if any.





[10]
Q.4 Most of the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) implementations do obey several call semantics for the
purpose of reliability of remote procedure calls, as seen by the caller. Suggest mechanisms using
which at-least-once and at-most-once RPC call semantics can be implemented.
[8]
********
P1
P2
P3
Processes
Time
M1
M1
M2
M2
M3
M3
1 2 3
4 5 6
No. of Pages = 1
No. of Questions = 5