Module Code: 553/23/M08
Module Title: OPERATING SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION
ZNQF Level: 5
Credits: 18
Duration: 180 hours
Relationship with Based on Unit Standard OPERATING SYSTEMS of Qualification
Qualification Standard for an ICT Technician
Standards:
Pre-requisite NIL
modules:
Purpose of Module: This module describes the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by an
ICT Technician to describe the operation and structure of a computer
system, explain the structure and management of processes, outline the
fundamentals of memory management, install and configure a Linux and
Windows Operating System, use the Linux graphical user interface and
command line interface and Windows and MS-DOS to perform standard
user and administration tasks, adapt to trends in virtualization, emulation
and the increasing use of sophisticated operating systems in mobile
systems, and implement appropriate security and protection mechanisms
in operating systems.
Advantages of operating systems include better software choice,
avoiding software damage and significant data loss, upholding of system
operational integrity and maintenance of a reliable IT infrastructure, and
enhanced productivity. Access to this module is open to all target groups
including unemployed youths, women and men wishing to establish or
improve SMEs in the administration of hardware.
List of Learning LO1: Describe the operation and structure of a computer system.
Outcomes: LO2: Explain the structure and management of processes
LO3: Outline the fundamentals of memory management
LO4: Install and configure a Linux and Windows Operating System
LO5: Manage the Linux Server and command line interface,
Windows Server and MS-DOS to perform standard user and
administration tasks
LO6: Adapt to trends in virtualisation, emulation and the increasing
use of sophisticated OS in mobile systems
LO7: Implement appropriate security and protection mechanisms
in operating systems
Learning Outcome 01 DESCRIBE THE OPERATION AND STRUCTURE OF A
COMPUTER SYSTEM
Assessment Criteria: 1.1 Outline the goals and roles of an operating system
1.2 Analyse the structure of a computer system
1.3 Handle interrupts
Content: 1.1 Outline the goals and roles of an operating system
Define operating system
Describe operating system goals
Explain operating system functions
Describe the evolution of operating systems
Describe types and examples of operating systems
1.2 Analyse the structure of an operating system
Evaluate operating system structures
Simple structure
Monolithic structure
Layered structure
Micro-Kernel structure
Exo-Kernel structure
Virtual machines
Explain the basic structure of a computer system
Processor, memory and peripheral devices
Registers and the fetch-execute cycle
1.3 Handle interrupts
Define interrupt
Explain hardware and software interrupts
Explain how the CPU responds to interrupts
Describe interrupt handling in modern operating
systems
Explain context switching in operating systems
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to describe the operation and structure of a
computer system as outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the operation and structure of a
computer system including the following of SHEQ
requirements, the consideration of computer laboratory
environmental factors which affect the operation and
structure of a computer system based on the performance
criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the
workplace or simulated work environment in the training
institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities,
tools, equipment and materials listed below.
Learning Outcome 02 EXPLAIN THE STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF
PROCESSES
Assessment Criteria: 2.1 Explain process management
2.2 Apply CPU scheduling algorithms
2.3 Explain process synchronization
2.4 Describe deadlock in operating systems
Content: 2.1 Explain process management
Define process in operating systems
Explain process creation and termination
Describe the process control block
Describe the process life cycle
Explain process management in Windows and Linux
Outline commonly used commands and tools for
managing processes
2.2 Apply CPU scheduling algorithms
Define CPU scheduling
Outline the types of scheduling in operating systems
Describe process scheduling algorithms
Explain inter-process communication
2.3 Explain process synchronization in operating systems
Define process synchronization
Outline the types and sections of process
synchronization
Describe the critical section problem and solutions
2.4 Describe deadlock in operating systems
Define deadlock
Outline the conditions necessary for deadlock
Explain the strategies for handling deadlock
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to explain the structure and management of
processes as outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the management of processes
including the following of SHEQ requirements, the
application of scheduling algorithms based on the
performance criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the workplace
or simulated work environment in the training institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities, tools,
equipment and materials listed below.
.
Learning Outcome 03 OUTLINE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MEMORY
MANAGEMENT
Assessment Criteria: 3.1 Implement memory management techniques
3.2 Explain memory swapping
3.3 Implement memory allocation
3.4 Illustrate paging, fragmentation and segmentation in
operating systems
3.5 Explain virtual memory management
Content: 3.1 Implement memory management techniques
Define memory management
Outline the importance of memory management
Evaluate memory management techniques
3.2 Explain memory swapping
Define memory swapping
Outline the benefits of memory swapping
Describe the process of memory swapping in operating
systems
3.3 Implement memory allocation
Define memory allocation
Describe the memory allocation techniques
3.4 Illustrate paging, fragmentation and segmentation in
operating systems
Define memory paging, fragmentation and
segmentation
Distinguish between swapping and paging in operating
systems
Explain how segmentation works
Distinguish between segmentation and paging in
operating systems
Explain the types of fragmentation
Explain how fragmentation affects system performance
3.5 Explain virtual memory management
Define virtual memory
Explain the following
Demand paging
Page wrapping
Thrashing
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to outline the fundamentals of memory
management practice as outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the fundamentals of memory
management including the following of SHEQ
requirements, the consideration of computer laboratory
environmental factors which affect implementation of
memory management techniques, memory swapping,
memory allocation, paging, segmentation, and
fragmentation based on the performance criteria of the
relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the workplace
or simulated work environment in the training institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities,
tools, equipment and materials listed below.
Learning Outcome 04 INSTALL AND CONFIGURE A LINUX and WINDOWS
OPERATING SYSTEM
Assessment Criteria: .1 Describe the Linux and Windows operating system
organisation, components and file system.
.2 Install and configure Linux operating system
.3 Install and configure Windows operating system
Content: 4.1 Describe the Linux and Windows operating system
organisation, components and file system.
Describe the Linux file system structure
Outline the Linux file system features
Describe the types of Linux file systems
Outline the components of the Windows file system
Describe the types of Windows file system
4.2 Install and configure Linux operating system
Describe the installation of the Linux operating system
Outline the steps for configuring the Linux operating
system
4.3 Install and configure Windows operating system
Describe the installation of the Windows and Windows
Server operating systems
Outline the steps for configuring the Windows and
Windows Server operating systems
Discuss the evolution of the Windows operating
systems
Explain operating system version compatibility
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to install and configure a Linux and windows
operating system as outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the developing and maintaining
software including the following of SHEQ requirements, the
consideration of computer laboratory environmental factors
which affect the developing, the identification of the inputs,
processes and outputs of software based on the performance
criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the workplace
or simulated work environment in the training institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities, tools,
equipment and materials listed below.
Learning Outcome 05 MANAGE THE LINUX GRAPHICAL USER
INTERFACE AND COMMAND LINE INTERFACE,
WINDOWS AND MS-DOS TO PERFORM STANDARD
USER AND ADMINISTRATION TASKS
Assessment Criteria: 5.1 Perform Linux Server administration
5.2 Perform Windows Server administration
Content: 5.1 Perform Linux administration
Set up the Linux environment
Outline Linux File Permissions, Processes, User
Account Management, Linux Networking or
Software Management
Explain the Linux terminal
Terminals, consoles, shells and commands
Linux command structure
The Tab key and keyboard shortcuts
Root vs non-privileged users
Explore the Linux file system
Describe the management of user accounts
Explain Linux file permissions
5.2 Perform Windows administration
Explain virtualization and Hyper-V
Explain the process of administering Group Policy
Describe the deployment of a virtual machined-based
infrastructure
Manage user accounts
Install, upgrade, repair or backup the operating
system and components
Install service packs (SPs)
Configure critical operating system parameters (e.g.
password policy, access control, audit
policy, kernel mode driver configuration)
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and
knowledge required to manage the Linux graphical user
interface and command line interface, windows and MS-
DOS to perform standard user and administration tasks as
outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the developing and maintaining
software including the following of SHEQ requirements,
the consideration of computer laboratory environmental
factors which affect the developing, the identification of
the inputs, processes and outputs of software based on the
performance criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the
workplace or simulated work environment in the training
institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities,
tools, equipment and materials listed below.
Learning Outcome 06 ADAPT TO TRENDS IN VIRTUALISATION,
EMULATION AND THE INCREASING USE OF
SOPHISTICATED OS IN MOBILE SYSTEMS
Assessment Criteria: 6.1 Outline the need for virtualization and emulation in
computer systems
6.2 Implement strategies for virtualization and emulation in
computer systems
Content: 6.1 Outline the need for virtualization and emulation in
computer systems
Define virtualization and emulation
Distinguish between virtualization and emulation
Explain why virtualization and emulation are important
in modern day computing
Explain the relationship between virtualization and
cloud computing
6.2 Implement strategies for virtualization and emulation in
computer systems
Outline the virtualization techniques for desktop and
mobile systems
Discuss types of virtualization
Explain virtualization and emulation in mobile
operating systems
Discuss the trends in virtualization and emulation in
computing
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to adapt to trends in virtualization, emulation and
the increasing use of sophisticated OS in mobile systems as
outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the developing and maintaining
software including the following of SHEQ requirements, the
consideration of computer laboratory environmental factors
which affect the developing, the identification of the inputs,
processes and outputs of software based on the performance
criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the workplace
or simulated work environment in the training institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities,
tools, equipment and materials listed below.
Learning Outcome 07 IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE SECURITY AND
PROTECTION MECHANISMS IN OPERATING
SYSTEMS
Assessment Criteria: 7.1 Outline the importance of computer security at the OS level
7.2 Establish methods to implement security and protection in
operating systems
Content: 7.1 Outline the importance of security at the OS level
Define operating system security and protection
Distinguish between security and protection in OS
Discuss the levels at which the computer system must
be protected
Explain security features in operating systems
7.2 Establish methods to implement security and protection in
operating systems
Outline operating system related security threats and
vulnerabilities
Describe measures that can be taken to ensure security
and protection in operating systems
Assessment Tasks: 1. Written and/or oral assessment on the skills and knowledge
required to implement security and protection mechanisms
in operating systems as outlined in the assessment criteria.
2. Practical assessment on the developing and maintaining
software including the following of SHEQ requirements,
the consideration of computer laboratory environmental
factors which affect the developing, the identification of the
inputs, processes and outputs of software based on the
performance criteria of the relevant unit standard.
Conditions/Context of 1. Written and/or oral assessment can be conducted in a
assessment classroom environment. Oral assessment can also be
conducted by the assessor during the performance of the
practical assessment by the trainees.
2. The practical assessment will be conducted in the
workplace or simulated work environment in the training
institution.
3. The context of assessment should include the facilities,
tools, equipment and materials listed below.
ASSESSMENT SCHEME
Theory: A minimum of 100%
3 hour paper • 2 Assignments 20%
(Weighted 20%) • 2 Practical assignments 20%
Practical: • 2 Tests 20%
3 hour paper
(Weighted 20%)
ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION GRID
THEORY PAPER
No. TOPIC WEIGHTING %
LO1 Describe the operation and structure of a computer system. 15
LO2 Explain the structure and management of processes 15
LO3 Outline the fundamentals of memory management 15
LO4 Install and configure a Linux and Windows operating 15
