Operating System - Multi-Threading

What is Thread?
A thread is a flow of execution through the process code, with its own program counter that keeps track of which instruction to
execute next, system registers which hold its current working variables, and a stack which contains the execution history.

A thread shares with its peer threads few information like code segment, data segment and open files. When one thread alters a
code segment memory item, all other threads see that.
A thread is also called a lightweight 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. The following figure shows the working of a
single-threaded and a multithreaded process.
Difference between Process and Thread
S.N. Process Thread

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

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

3 In multiple processing environments, each process All threads can share same set of open files, child processes.
executes the same code but has its own memory and file
resources.

4 If one process is blocked, then no other process can While one thread is blocked and waiting, a second thread in the
execute until the first process is unblocked. same task can run.

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

6 In multiple processes each process operates One thread can read, write or change another thread's data.
independently of the others.

Advantages of Thread
Threads minimize the context switching time.
Use of threads provides concurrency within a process.
Efficient communication.
It is more economical to create and context switch threads.
Threads allow 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, the 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 starts with a single 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 is 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 be multithreaded.

Disadvantages
Kernel threads are generally slower to create and manage than the user threads.
Transfer of control from one thread to another within the same process requires a mode switch to the Kernel.

Multithreading Models
Some operating system provide 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

The many-to-many model multiplexes any number of user threads onto an equal or smaller number of kernel threads.

The following diagram shows the many-to-many threading model where 6 user level threads are multiplexing with 6 kernel level
threads. In this model, developers can create as many user threads as necessary and the corresponding Kernel threads can run in
parallel on a multiprocessor machine. This model provides the best accuracy on concurrency and when a thread performs a blocking
system call, the kernel can schedule another thread for execution.
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 by the
thread library. When thread makes a blocking system call, the entire process will be blocked. 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 the system does not support them, then
the 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 allows another thread to run when a thread makes a blocking system call. It supports multiple threads 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

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

2 Implementation is by a thread library at the user level. Operating system supports creation of Kernel threads.

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

4 Multi-threaded applications cannot take advantage of Kernel routines themselves can be multithreaded.
multiprocessing.