Introduction to Windows XP Professional

1
Chapter 1

• Introduction to Windows XP Professional

2
Learning Objectives

• Describe the Windows XP family of products
• Describe the major features of the Windows XP
  environment
• Understand the Windows XP intelligent user
  interface
• Understand the two major networking models under
  which Windows XP can be used
• Understand the architecture of Windows XP

3
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
The User Interface
Accepts data from input devices such as the mouse
and keyboard
Outputs information to display devices.
4
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
Application Program Interface (API)
Acts as an interface for application programs,
the user interface and utilities to access the
internal services of the OS
5
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
The Kernel
Manages memory by locating and allocating space
to programs.
Schedules time for programs to execute
Provides communications between programs that are
running
Manages and arranges services and resources that
are provided by other modules
Controls security
6
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
File Management System
Allocates and manages secondary storage space
Translates file requests from their name-based
form into specific I/O requests
7
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
I/O Drivers
Perform the actual storage and retrieval of files
I/O drivers provides control over one or more
hardware devices that are part of the computer
8
A simplified diagram of how data and information
flows in an Operating System
Network Module
Controls interaction between the computer and
networks
9
Windows XP (five products)

• Windows Profesional XP 64-Bit Edition
• Designed to work with 64 bit processors form
  Intel and ADM
• Released in spring 2003
• Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
• Designed for computers that serve as multimedia
  operating centers
• Tuned to maximize the experiences with video,
  audio, images, television, and CD/DVD playback.

10
Windows XP (five products)

• Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• Designed specifically for use on Tablet PCs.
• Has improved speech and pen recognition
  technologies
• Windows XP Home Edition
• Designed specifically for stand alone home use.
• Same as Windows XP professional but does not
  support a number of features.

11
Windows XP (five products)

• Windows XP Professional
• Designed for stand alone use or to be part of a
  workgroup or domain network client.
• Idea client for connecting to Windows 2003 server
  or Windows server 2007.
• The majority of the class will deal with this
  version of Windows.

12
Windows 7 Versions

• Starter
• Home Premium
• Professional
• Enterprise
• Ultimate

13
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Plug and Play
• Automatically detects presence of new hardware.
• Installs the appropriate device driver.

14
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Multiple Processors
• Supports true multiprocessing.
• Will support quad core processors.

15
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Multitasking
• Mode of CPU operation in which computer processes
  more than one task at a time.
• Windows XP supports two type of multitasking.
• Preemptive
• Cooperative

16
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Multithreading
• Individual tasks within single process space
  operate independently as separate execution
  modules called threads.
• Remember a CPU can execute only one thread of
  code at a time.
• All threads share same memory and system
  resources
• Allows OS to execute multiple threads from single
  application concurrently

17
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Security
• Protected mandatory logon system
• Memory protection
• System auditing
• Precise controls on file and directory access

18
The Windows XP Environment (major
characteristics)

• Help and Support Services
• Comprehensive Help system
• Step-by-step guides
• Topical and index organizations
• Online help

19
The Windows User Interface

• The Desktop
• Microsoft labels this as the user experience

20
The Windows User Interface
21
The Start Menu
22
The Taskbar
Running Programs
Notification Area
Quick Launch
Media Player
23
Windows XP Architecture

• Windows XP is a modular OS.
• Modules are small software elements that
  cooperate to provide the systems computing and
  networking capabilities.
• Each module consists of unique functions, code
  segments and system controls
• The modules communicate with each other through
  well defined interfaces.
• This modular system allow for easy expansion and
  patches as needed.

24
Windows XP Architecture

• All Windows XP processes operate in one of two
  modes
• User mode
• Kernel mode
• These modes represent a certain level of system
  and hardware access.

25
Windows XP Architecture (User Mode)

• An isolated portion of the system environment in
  which user applications execute.
• Provides only mediated access to Windows XP
  system resources.
• Any request for services must pass through the
  Executive Services components of the kernel mode
  to obtain access.

26
Windows XP Architecture (User Mode)

• The Application Program Interface (API) supports
  three core environment sub-systems.
• Win 32
• Win 16
• DOS.
• Win 16 and DOS programs run in APIs that emulate
  there native environment, however WIN32 controls
  the interface and all I/O requests.

27
Windows XP Architecture

• Windows XP is an object orientated operating
  system.
• An Object is a collection of attributes with
  associated data values, plus a set of related
  services that can be performed on that object.
• Objects have an existence independent of any
  particular process in the Windows XP environment.

28
Windows XP Architecture

• Objects are defined by
• Type what attributes and servises they support
• Instance defines a specific entity of a certain
  type
• An example
• There may be many object of the type defined as
  files but only one can have a unique
  combination of directory specification and file
  name.

29
Windows XP Architecture

• Windows XP controls access to individual objects.
• It can control which users and groups can perform
  particular services related to each object.

30
Windows XP Architecture

• Part of the user mode is the security subsystem.
• This subsystem is responsible for the logon
  process.
• Works directly with the kernel mode to verify the
  username and password.
• To obtain access to the login sequence the user
  must be at a locally connected keyboard.

31
Windows XP Architecture

• In network applications the attention sequence is
  used.
• CtrlAltDelete
• This sequence can not be faked remotely, it
  guarantees that the login process can not be used
  by remote hackers to gain access to a local
  computer operations.

32
Windows XP Architecture

• Logging on to Windows XP in Local Mode

33
Windows XP Architecture

• Logging on to Windows XP when connected to a
  network

34
Windows XP Architecture (kernel mode)

• The mode which controls the inner works of the
  Windows XP OS.
• Some key element of the kernel mode stay resident
  in memory at all times.
• Handles process priorities and process
  scheduling.
• Provides the ability to preempt currently running
  processes and schedule new processes.

35
Windows XP Architecture (kernel mode)

• The kernel mode insulates the core operating
  systems from the user mode subsystem.
• The user application must request any access to
  hardware and low-level resources from the kernel
  mode.
• Windows checks the access requests against the
  access permission located in the token associated
  with the requestor.

36
Windows XP Architecture (kernel mode)

• This approach helps maintain control over the
  entire computer and protect the system from
  ill-behaved applications.

37
Windows XP Architecture (kernel mode)

• The kernel mode may be divided into three
  subsystems
• Executive services
• Kernel
• Hardware abstraction layer (HAL)
• These three subsystems run in privileged mode
  which allows direct access to all system
  resources.

38
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Executive services are the interfaces that allow
  the kernel and user mode to communicate.
• The executive services consist of the following

39
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• I/O Services
• Handles all operating system input and output.
• This includes
• Receiving requests for I/O from applications
• Determining which driver is needed
• Requesting that drive for the application

40
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• The components for the I/O manager
• Cache manager handles disk caching for all file
  systems.
• Network drivers the software components that
  enable communication with the network
• Device drivers 32-bit and multiprocessor-compati
  ble minidrivers that enable communication with
  devices.

41
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Security Reference Monitor (SRM)
• Compares the access rights of the user with the
  access control list (ACL) associated with an
  individual object.
• Whenever a process is launched by a user the
  process inherits the rights defined by the users
  security token.

42
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Internal Process Call (IPC) manager
• Controls application communications with server
  processes such as the WIN32 subsystem.
• Virtual Memory Manage
• Keeps track of addressable memory spaces in the
  Windows XP environment
• Includes physical RAM and one or more page files
  on disk (virtual memory).

43
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Process Manager
• Tracks two kernel dispatch objects, processes and
  threads.
• Responsible for creating and tracking processes
  and threads and cleaning up after they are no
  longer needed.
• Plug and Play Manager
• Handles the loading, unloading and configuring
  device drivers for Plug and Play devices.
• Allows the hot-swapping of devices.

44
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Power Manager
• Monitors and controls the use of power.
• Windows Manager
• Introduces a method of network-based centralized
  control to Window XP
• File System Manager
• Responsible for maintaining access and cotnrol
  over the file systems of the Windows XP
  environment.
• Controls file I/O transfers fro all the file
  systems.

45
Windows XP Architecture (Executive Services)

• Object Manager
• Maintains object naming and security function for
  all system objects
• It allocates the use of objects, monitors there
  use and removes them when no longer needed
• Maintains the following system objects.
• Directory objects
• ObjectType objects
• Link objects
• Event Objects
• Process and thread objects
• Port objects
• File objects

46
Windows XP Architecture

• The Hardware Abstraction Layer
• The goal of this layer is to isolate any hardware
  dependent code to prevent direct access to
  hardware
• HAL is low-level hardware dependent code.
• HAL is built during the initial installation of
  the OS
• If significant changes are made to the OS, the
  HAL must be rebuilt, this may require
  reinstallation of the OS.

47
Windows XP Memory Architecture

• Uses a flat 32-bit memory model
• Based on a virtual memory, demand page method of
  addressing up to 4GB.
• Demand page is the characteristic where an
  application can request (demand) a specific item
  from memory.

48
Windows XP Security Technologies

• Windows Firewall
• Security Center
• Attachment Manager
• Encrypting File System
• Security management policies

49
The Help and Support Center
Security Center
50
The Roll of Windows XP in Organizations

• Workgroup networks
• Domain networks

51
The Roll of Windows XP in Organizations
Windows XP in a Workgroup Network

• Simple to design and implement
• Localized security
• Convenient for smaller networks does not scale
  well

52
The Roll of Windows XP in Organizations
Windows XP in a Domain Network

• More complex to design and implement
• Centralized security
• Required for large networks scales very well