Device management in an operating system refers to the process of implementation, operation, and maintenance of a device by an operating system. It involves controlling the Input/Output devices like disk, microphone, keyboard, printer, magnetic tape, USB ports, and network devices. The device management system allocates input/output devices to the process based on priority and deallocates them either temporarily or permanently depending upon the conditions.
The following are some of the functions of device management in an operating system:
- Keeping track of data, status, location, and usage of devices
- Creating schedules and deciding which process will hold a particular device and for how long it will hold it
- Improving the drivers
- Allocating and deallocating the device in memory
- Transmitting data packets
- Enforcing preset policies and taking a decision on which process gets the device when and for how long
The operating system uses the concept of drivers for establishing a connection between these devices with the system. The device management system guarantees that the hardware devices are used effectively by the system software and applications by providing a consistent and dependable interface to the hardware devices. It also covers input/output control, error handling, and interrupt management.
Device management is a crucial component of operating systems as it regulates the interface between computer hardware and software. It ensures that the hardware devices are used effectively by the system software and applications, which enhances the computer systems overall performance.
