From Geiger-Counters to File Systems: Remote Hardware Access for the Operating Systems Course

Abstract

Operating systems interface between hardware and the user, random numbers are useful for security and simulation, and file systems form the program access to them in a modern operating system.   Blending these items into a remotely accessed infrastructure forms the basis for supporting operating systems projects.  This work describes the hardware, software, and communication infrastructure to support student projects by sharing remote hardware to acquire background radiations events with a Geiger counter, transforming those events into random numbers, and providing those numbers through a custom file system.  Collectively, the hardware and software provide an inexpensive remote laboratory experience for computing students.