Contents
Attitude, Mindset & Learning Skills...............................................................2
Mainframe....................................................................................................2
JCL................................................................................................................2
COBOL..........................................................................................................2
VSAM............................................................................................................3
DB2...............................................................................................................3
CICS..............................................................................................................3
IMS................................................................................................................4
Attitude, Mindset & Learning Skills
1. How do you handle tasks that you find repetitive or boring?
2. When you face a tool you’ve never used before, how do you approach
learning it?
3. What’s one recent skill or tool you learned on your own? Why?
4. How do you test your code before handing it off?
5. How do you prioritize your work when you have multiple tasks?
6. What do you do if you don’t understand the requirement clearly?
7. If you receive a task with no clear instructions, what do you do?
Mainframe
1. What is a dataset?
A file on the mainframe.
2. Difference between sequential and PDS?
Sequential: Linear file, records stored one after another.
PDS: Partitioned Dataset contains multiple members (like folder + files).
3. How to check job output?
Using SDSF (ST) to view spool,
JCL
1. What is JOB, EXEC, DD statements?
JOB: Job name and accounting info.
EXEC: Program or procedure to run.
DD: Defines input/output datasets.
2. What happens if a DD refers to a non-existing dataset?
Job abends with dataset allocation error (S0C4 or JCL error depending on DISP).
3. What is a PROC?
Procedure- Can call from any JCL. Reusable set of JCL statements.
4. DISP parameters:
NEW: Create new dataset.
OLD: Exclusive use.
SHR: Shared read access.
MOD: Append if exists, else create.
5. What is Return Code (RC)?
Numeric value indicating program status (0 = success). Used in COND.
6. How to override PROC parameters?
Using symbolic parameters or DD statement overrides in the calling JCL.
COBOL
1. COBOL Program Divisions:
IDENTIFICATION
ENVIRONMENT
DATA
PROCEDURE
2. WORKING-STORAGE vs LINKAGE SECTION:
WORKING-STORAGE: Variables owned by the program.
LINKAGE: Variables passed from calling program or JCL.
3. COMP, COMP-3, DISPLAY:
COMP: Binary.
COMP-3: Packed decimal.
DISPLAY: Alphanumeric.
4. PERFORM…THRU vs PERFORM…UNTIL:
THRU: Executes a range of paragraphs.
UNTIL: Loop until condition is met.
VSAM
1. What is VSAM?
Virtual Storage Access Method—used for indexed or structured datasets.
2. KSDS / ESDS / RRDS differences:
KSDS: Indexed file with key.
ESDS: Entry-sequenced (no key).
RRDS: Indexed by relative record number.
3. What is Control Interval (CI)?
Smallest unit of storage in VSAM (like a physical block).
4. How to define VSAM files?
Using IDCAMS DEFINE.
5. REPRO command use?
Copy data between VSAM and non-VSAM datasets.
DB2
1. Primary key vs Unique key:
Primary: No nulls + unique.
Unique: Allows one null + unique.
2. What is a cursor?
A mechanism to fetch multiple rows one by one.
3. Host variable?
A COBOL variable used in SQL statements.
4. SELECT INTO returns >1 row?
It abends with SQLCODE -811 (more than one row).
5. COMMIT vs ROLLBACK:
COMMIT: Save changes.
ROLLBACK: Undo changes.
CICS
1. What is CICS?
Online transaction processing system.
2. What is a transaction?
A unit of work invoked by a 4-character transaction ID.
3. MAP vs MAPSET:
MAP: Single screen layout.
MAPSET: Group of maps.
4. SEND and RECEIVE commands:
SEND: Send screen to user.
RECEIVE: Get input from user.
5. What if a CICS program abends?
CICS writes abend codes (AEI0, AEY9, ASRA) and may rollback.
6. What is COMMAREA?
Memory area used to pass data between programs.
IMS
1. What is IMS?
Hierarchical database + transaction manager.
2. IMS DB vs IMS DC:
DB: Database part.
DC: Online transaction part.
3. What is a segment?
Basic unit of data in IMS DB.
4. Hierarchical structure?
Data stored in parent-child relationship (tree).
5. How does COBOL interact with IMS?
Through DL/I calls like GU, GN, ISRT.