Research On CPU Scheduling Visualization

Linux operating system is praised for its freedom spirit and the open of source code. In a short10years, it shows strong vitality. Stability, flexibility, multitasking, multi-user interaction ability, good user interface, independent of equipment, abundant networking and good portability make the postion of Linux in modern operating system. Located right in the heart of Linux operating system, process management is difficulity to study for its complex and abstract. In operating system teaching process, students have to face many complex problems. Pure theory’s explanation is dull and tedious. It is not easy to entry. So how to solve the abstraction problem, showing the process in front of students, making students clearly understand this process become very meaningful.In view of the complex and abstract theory explanation, if visualization technology can be introduced into teaching of operating system, it will get twice the result with half the effort effect. Today, visualization technology has made remarkable achievements. It makes use of the related theory of graphics technology, change complex data information into graphics which people are easy to understand. This greatly improved people’s cognitive ability, and made complex theory vivid and simple. Visualization technology applications are very extensive, including medical imaging, geographic information system, education, etc. The Application of network multimedia teaching is more, such as the production of flash animation. Joining points, lines and planes, taking the form of animation,it shows the complex processes. Visualization technology is introduced into Teaching system, which will decrease the difficulty of teaching while improve students’ acceptance.According to the core process in operating system, we show the key points and difficulties of the operating system---process scheduling, through the visual way. Process scheduling is the emphasis research of this paper. Taking process scheduling data of Linux system as data source, to dealing with these data and visualization operation under Windows system, through the form of animation, reproduced process scheduling of Linux operating system in the form of hysteresis, to ensure the image vivid and easy to understand.The main research contents including:(1) Start from the kernel source code of Linux operating system, understand the relationship among scheduling processes, and make the meaning of the data associated with process scheduling clear.(2) Study Ftrace tools.in-depth。 The main research is about sched_switch and irq source tracking. Modify sched_switch tracker source code and compile into the kernel. Finally extract complete process operating data of Linux systems. Do cover all process status.(3) For the data obtained from Linux system, take a pretreatment under Windows system. Remove redundant and unnecessary information, keep the authenticity of original data, and make time delay. The preprocessing data is strictly defined format to ensure the consistency between instruction and operability.(4) Visualization operation on data processed, including CPU, queue, time slice, timer, interrupt, graphics design. It also need consider the animation design, which includes the movement of process, the graphics position change and the continuity of animation, etc. Finally show the complex process scheduling by vivid animation.In this paper, visualization method is took into the operating system teaching process, which greatly reduces the difficulty of teaching, simplify the complex process of scheduling process, and make the data reliable and easy to understand. This can improve the students’further understanding of the theory. This research is significant for further research and development.