Operating System Multi-Threading

This section describes thread, types of threads and various thread models.

What is Thread?

A thread is a flow of execution through the process code, with its own program counter,
system registers and stack. A thread is also called a light weight process. Threads provide a way
to improve application performance through parallelism. Threads represent a software approach
to improving performance of operating system by reducing the overhead thread is equivalent to a
classical process.

Each thread belongs to exactly one process and no thread can exist outside a process. Each
thread represents a separate flow of control. Threads have been successfully used in
implementing network servers and web server. They also provide a suitable foundation for
parallel execution of applications on shared memory multiprocessors. Following figure shows the
working of the single and multithreaded processes.
Difference between Process and Thread

S.N. Process Thread

Process is heavy weight or resource Thread is light weight taking lesser resources
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intensive. than a process.

Process switching needs interaction with Thread switching does not need to interact
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operating system. with operating system.

In multiple processing environments each

All threads can share same set of open files,
1 process executes the same code but has
child processes.
its own memory and file resources.

If one process is blocked then no other

While one thread is blocked and waiting,
1 process can execute until the first
second thread in the same task can run.
process is unblocked.

Multiple processes without using threads Multiple threaded processes use fewer
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use more resources. resources.

In multiple processes each process One thread can read, write or change another
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operates independently of the others. thread's data.
Advantages of Thread
 Thread minimizes context switching time.

 Use of threads provides concurrency within a process.

 Efficient communication.

 Economy- It is more economical to create and context switch threads.

 Utilization of multiprocessor architectures to a greater scale and efficiency.

Types of Thread
Threads are implemented in following two ways

 User Level Threads -- User managed threads

 Kernel Level Threads -- Operating System managed threads acting on kernel, an

operating system core.

User Level Threads

In this case, application manages thread management kernel is not aware of the existence of
threads. The thread library contains code for creating and destroying threads, for passing
message and data between threads, for scheduling thread execution and for saving and
restoring thread contexts. The application begins with a single thread and begins running in that
thread.

Advantages
 Thread switching does not require Kernel mode privileges.

 User level thread can run on any operating system.

 Scheduling can be application specific in the user level thread.

 User level threads are fast to create and manage.

Disadvantages
 In a typical operating system, most system calls are blocking.

 Multithreaded application cannot take advantage of multiprocessing.

Kernel Level Threads
In this case, thread management done by the Kernel. There is no thread management code in
the application area. Kernel threads are supported directly by the operating system. Any
application can be programmed to be multithreaded. All of the threads within an application are
supported within a single process.

The Kernel maintains context information for the process as a whole and for individuals’ threads
within the process. Scheduling by the Kernel is done on a thread basis. The Kernel performs
thread creation, scheduling and management in Kernel space. Kernel threads are generally
slower to create and manage than the user threads.

Advantages
 Kernel can simultaneously schedule multiple threads from the same process on multiple
processes.

 If one thread in a process is blocked, the Kernel can schedule another thread of the
same process.

 Kernel routines themselves can multithreaded.

Disadvantages
 Kernel threads are generally slower to create and manage than the user threads.

 Transfer of control from one thread to another within same process requires a mode
switch to the Kernel.
Multithreading Models
Some operating system provides a combined user level thread and Kernel level thread facility.
Solaris is a good example of this combined approach. In a combined system, multiple threads
within the same application can run in parallel on multiple processors and a blocking system call
need not block the entire process. Multithreading models are three types

 Many to many relationship.

 Many to one relationship.

 One to one relationship.

Many to Many Model

In this model, many user level threads multiplexes to the Kernel thread of smaller or equal
numbers. The number of Kernel threads may be specific to either a particular application or a
particular machine.

Following diagram shows the many to many model. In this model, developers can create as
many user threads as necessary and the corresponding Kernel threads can run in parallels on a
multiprocessor.

Many to One Model

Many to one model maps many user level threads to one Kernel level thread. Thread
management is done in user space. When thread makes a blocking system call, the entire
process will be blocks. Only one thread can access the Kernel at a time, so multiple threads are
unable to run in parallel on multiprocessors.

If the user level thread libraries are implemented in the operating system in such a way that
system does not support them then Kernel threads use the many to one relationship modes.
One to One Model
There is one to one relationship of user level thread to the kernel level thread. This model
provides more concurrency than the many to one model. It also another thread to run when a
thread makes a blocking system call. It support multiple thread to execute in parallel on
microprocessors.

Disadvantage of this model is that creating user thread requires the corresponding Kernel
thread. OS/2, Windows NT and windows 2000 use one to one relationship model.
Difference between User Level & Kernel Level
Thread

S.N. User Level Threads Kernel Level Thread

User level threads are faster to create Kernel level threads are slower to create and
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and manage. manage.

Implementation is by a thread library at Operating system supports creation of Kernel

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the user level. threads.

User level thread is generic and can run Kernel level thread is specific to the operating
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on any operating system. system.

Multi-threaded application cannot take Kernel routines themselves can be

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advantage of multiprocessing. multithreaded.