HomeBlogWeb DevelopmentWhat is Process Synchronization in Operating System (OS)?
Juggling multiple tasks at once? That's what multi-tasking operating systems do with processes. But to avoid data chaos, processes need traffic control. Process synchronization in OS ensures only one process uses shared data at a time, preventing conflicts. This is critical for processes that work together, and the operating system provides the tools to keep things running smoothly.
We will learn what is process synchronization in OS, the need for synchronization in this blog. And if you want in-depth knowledge about OSs to pursue a career, you can take our Web Development Course.
An operating system is a piece of software that controls all of the installed programs on a computer or other device, essentially making it run more efficiently. Because of this, the operating system frequently has to handle multiple tasks at once. Unless these processes running simultaneously share a resource, this usually doesn't pose a synchronization problem in OS.
Take a bank as an example, let's say you had x rupees in your account at the beginning. Now you withdraw some money from your bank account, and someone tries to look at the balance of your account at the same time.
The total balance remaining in your account after the transaction will be less than x because you are taking money out of it. However, since the transaction takes some time, the person interprets x as your account balance, resulting in inconsistent data. We could guarantee consistent data if we could somehow make sure that only one process was running at once.
In the above image, if Process1 and Process2 occur simultaneously, User 2 will receive the incorrect account balance as Y as a result of Process1 being executed when the balance is X. When multiple processes share a single resource in a system, inconsistent data can result, which is why process synchronization is required in the operating system.
Following is the example of process synchronization in operating system:
A producer attempts to insert data into a buffer slot that is empty. Data is attempted to be removed from a filled slot in the buffer by a consumer. If those two processes are run simultaneously, the output won't be what was anticipated. There must be a way to enable the independent operation of the producer and consumer.
Solution:
The use of semaphores is one solution for this issue.
The structure of the producer process
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while (true) {
...
/* produce an item in next_produced */
...
wait(empty);
wait(mutex);
...
/* add next produced to the buffer */
...
signal(mutex);
signal(full);
} The structure of the consumer process
while (true) {
wait(full);
wait(mutex);
...
/* remove an item from buffer to
next_consumed */
...
signal(mutex);
signal(empty);
...
/* consume the item in next consumed */
...
} Reader-writer conflicts in data management pose a challenge: prioritize readers and risk writer starvation, or prioritize writers and leave readers waiting. Reader-priority can lead to writers being perpetually blocked by a constant stream of readers, while writer-priority allows writers to jump the line but leaves readers waiting indefinitely.
Both approaches have limitations, requiring careful consideration for the specific needs of your program.
The structure of a writer process
while (true) {
wait(rw_mutex);
...
/* writing is performed */
...
signal(rw_mutex);
} The structure of a reader process
while (true){
wait(mutex);
read_count++;
if (read_count == 1)
wait(rw_mutex);
signal(mutex);
...
/* reading is performed */
...
wait(mutex);
read count--;
if (read_count == 0)
signal(rw_mutex);
signal(mutex);
} A race condition is a situation in which the behavior of software or a system depends on the timing or ordering of uncontrollable events, such as the scheduling of processes or threads. The result is unpredictable, rendering the system unreliable.
Key Points:
The critical section problem is a classical problem in concurrent programming where several processes access and manipulate shared data without conflicts.
Key Points:
Peterson's Solution is a software-based protocol for solving mutual exclusion problems. It allows two processes to share the same resource without causing conflict. It is an algorithm that illustrates how mutual exclusion may be achieved.
Key Points:
Let's examine the precise reasons why Process synchronization in OS is necessary. For example, in this case, there is a good chance that the data read by process1 will be incorrect if process2 attempts to change the data present at the same memory location while process1 is attempting to read it.
Let's examine various components/sections of a program:
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The following are the types of process synchronization in operating system:
When a process is executed without affecting or having an impact on another process, that process is referred to as an independent process. For example the process without any shared databases, files, variables, etc.
In a computer system, different processes can operate as independent or collaborative processes within the operating system. When a process won't be impacted by other processes running on the system, it is said to be independent. Data sharing between processes is not done by independent processes. On the other hand, any other process running on the system may impact a collaborating process. Data is shared between processes that are cooperating.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
By addressing these topics, you can better understand the importance of synchronization in concurrent programming and how different mechanisms help in managing shared resources effectively.
Coordinating the execution of processes so that no two processes access the same shared resources and data is known as process synchronization. We hope you found this blog helpful in understanding process synchronization in OS, what synchronization is in operating system and other related aspects.
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It is necessary to implement process synchronization to avoid data inconsistency between processes, process deadlocks, and race conditions, which occur when two or more operations are carried out simultaneously, improperly scheduled in the wrong order, or incorrectly exited from the critical section.
In Linux, process synchronization entails allocating a time slice to each process so that it has the necessary amount of execution time. In Linux, you can start the process by using the fork() command. The created process is referred to as the child process, and the creating process is known as the parent process.
A semaphore is a signaling device, and another thread may signal a thread that is awaiting a semaphore. It uses two atomic operations for process synchronisation: 1) Wait, and 2) Signal. The configuration of a semaphore determines whether access to the resource is permitted or prohibited.
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