Os Process Management Questions Medium
In the context of process execution, CPU burst and I/O burst refer to the alternating periods of time during which a process utilizes the CPU and performs input/output (I/O) operations, respectively.
CPU burst is the period of time when a process is actively using the CPU to execute its instructions. During this burst, the process is performing computations, calculations, or any other tasks that require the CPU's processing power. The duration of a CPU burst can vary depending on the nature of the process and the workload it is handling.
On the other hand, I/O burst is the period of time when a process is waiting for input/output operations to be completed. These operations typically involve reading from or writing to external devices such as disks, keyboards, or network interfaces. During an I/O burst, the process is idle and not utilizing the CPU. The duration of an I/O burst can also vary depending on the speed of the I/O device and the amount of data being transferred.
In a typical scenario, a process goes through a series of CPU bursts and I/O bursts. It starts with a CPU burst, where it executes instructions, followed by an I/O burst when it waits for an I/O operation to complete. Once the I/O operation finishes, the process resumes its CPU burst and continues executing instructions until it requires another I/O operation, and the cycle repeats.
Understanding the characteristics and patterns of CPU bursts and I/O bursts is crucial for process scheduling algorithms in operating systems. By efficiently managing the allocation of CPU and I/O resources, these algorithms aim to optimize the overall system performance and ensure fair execution of processes.