Q.1 Which of the following best defines a distributed operating system?
An OS for a single processor
An OS that manages multiple computers as one system
An OS that works only with mobile devices
An OS that supports only batch processing
Explanation - A distributed operating system makes a collection of independent computers appear to users as a single coherent system.
Correct answer is: An OS that manages multiple computers as one system
Q.2 In distributed systems, transparency refers to:
Making the hardware invisible
Hiding the complexity of distribution from the user
Showing all system processes clearly
Encrypting data during transmission
Explanation - Transparency in distributed systems hides the complexities such as location, replication, and concurrency from the user.
Correct answer is: Hiding the complexity of distribution from the user
Q.3 Which type of transparency allows processes to access remote resources as if they were local?
Concurrency transparency
Replication transparency
Location transparency
Access transparency
Explanation - Location transparency enables resources to be accessed without knowing their physical location.
Correct answer is: Location transparency
Q.4 A major advantage of distributed operating systems is:
Increased hardware cost
Better resource utilization
Reduced availability
More complexity for users
Explanation - Distributed operating systems allow efficient sharing and utilization of resources across multiple systems.
Correct answer is: Better resource utilization
Q.5 Which of the following is NOT a transparency goal in distributed systems?
Replication transparency
Concurrency transparency
Security transparency
Batch transparency
Explanation - Batch transparency is not a concept in distributed systems; the main goals are related to replication, concurrency, location, and access.
Correct answer is: Batch transparency
Q.6 Which communication method is most commonly used in distributed systems?
Pipes
Message passing
Semaphores
Shared memory
Explanation - Message passing is the primary method of communication in distributed systems since memory is not shared.
Correct answer is: Message passing
Q.7 The client-server model in distributed systems is used for:
Batch processing
Centralized job scheduling
Resource sharing and communication
Hardware testing
Explanation - The client-server model allows clients to request services and servers to provide resources across the network.
Correct answer is: Resource sharing and communication
Q.8 Which is a challenge in distributed operating systems?
Scalability
Single point of failure
Lower resource utilization
Simpler fault tolerance
Explanation - Scalability is a challenge because as systems grow, managing resources, communication, and synchronization becomes harder.
Correct answer is: Scalability
Q.9 Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of distributed systems?
Resource sharing
Fault tolerance
Centralized control
Transparency
Explanation - Distributed systems avoid centralized control to ensure scalability and fault tolerance.
Correct answer is: Centralized control
Q.10 Deadlock in distributed systems is harder to handle because:
Processes do not communicate
Resources are infinite
No global clock or state exists
Distributed systems avoid synchronization
Explanation - Deadlock detection is difficult in distributed systems since there is no global state or central control.
Correct answer is: No global clock or state exists
Q.11 Which algorithm is commonly used for mutual exclusion in distributed systems?
Ricart-Agrawala algorithm
Round Robin
Banker's algorithm
LRU algorithm
Explanation - The Ricart-Agrawala algorithm is widely used for achieving mutual exclusion without a central coordinator.
Correct answer is: Ricart-Agrawala algorithm
Q.12 Which type of transparency ensures users are unaware of replicated resources?
Concurrency transparency
Replication transparency
Location transparency
Fault transparency
Explanation - Replication transparency hides the fact that multiple copies of resources exist for reliability and performance.
Correct answer is: Replication transparency
Q.13 A distributed file system provides:
Files only on local disks
Access to remote files as local ones
Batch file processing only
File storage without metadata
Explanation - Distributed file systems allow transparent access to files stored across multiple machines.
Correct answer is: Access to remote files as local ones
Q.14 Fault tolerance in distributed systems is achieved through:
Replication and redundancy
Single point of control
Stopping processes
Minimizing transparency
Explanation - Fault tolerance is achieved by replicating resources and services to handle failures.
Correct answer is: Replication and redundancy
Q.15 In a distributed OS, a group of computers working together is called:
Cluster
Thread pool
Stack
Cache
Explanation - A cluster refers to multiple computers connected and managed to work as a single system.
Correct answer is: Cluster
Q.16 Middleware in distributed systems is responsible for:
Hardware virtualization
Bridging between OS and applications
Memory swapping
Batch processing
Explanation - Middleware provides services like communication, naming, and security between the OS and distributed applications.
Correct answer is: Bridging between OS and applications
Q.17 Which distributed system model provides equal roles to all machines?
Client-server model
Peer-to-peer model
Master-slave model
Batch model
Explanation - In peer-to-peer models, all machines act as both clients and servers, offering equal responsibility.
Correct answer is: Peer-to-peer model
Q.18 Which of these is NOT an example of a distributed system?
Google Search
Hadoop
ATM Network
MS-DOS
Explanation - MS-DOS is a single-user, single-machine operating system, not a distributed system.
Correct answer is: MS-DOS
Q.19 Synchronization in distributed systems is difficult because:
Global time is not available
Processes don’t need communication
Memory is shared
Deadlocks never occur
Explanation - Synchronization is difficult since distributed systems lack a global clock to order events.
Correct answer is: Global time is not available
Q.20 Which concept allows distributed systems to continue operating despite failures?
Transparency
Concurrency
Fault tolerance
Replication
Explanation - Fault tolerance ensures system operation continues even when some components fail.
Correct answer is: Fault tolerance
Q.21 The CAP theorem in distributed systems deals with:
Consistency, Availability, Partition tolerance
Concurrency, Access, Performance
Caching, Allocation, Protection
Control, Access, Parallelism
Explanation - CAP theorem states that a distributed system can guarantee only two of the three: consistency, availability, and partition tolerance.
Correct answer is: Consistency, Availability, Partition tolerance
Q.22 In distributed systems, which protocol is used for time synchronization?
FTP
SMTP
NTP
HTTP
Explanation - The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is used to synchronize clocks across distributed systems.
Correct answer is: NTP
Q.23 Which of the following is a disadvantage of distributed systems?
Improved fault tolerance
Resource sharing
Increased complexity
Scalability
Explanation - Distributed systems are more complex to design and manage compared to centralized systems.
Correct answer is: Increased complexity
Q.24 Which approach is commonly used to handle deadlocks in distributed systems?
Centralized deadlock detection
Random process killing
Ignoring deadlocks
Replication
Explanation - Centralized deadlock detection collects wait-for information at one site to detect deadlocks.
Correct answer is: Centralized deadlock detection
Q.25 Which is an example of middleware in distributed systems?
CORBA
Windows Kernel
BIOS
Assembly code
Explanation - CORBA is middleware that allows communication between applications in a distributed system.
Correct answer is: CORBA