Mainframe Interview Questions and answers
Mainframes is one of the evergreen technologies used across the world by huge enterprises to process higher dimensional data with maximum reliability and security. The performance of this system is high as they have multiple memory devices configured with different combinations. Though there were many emerging technologies, the fame of mainframes never faded, and vacancies are still in demand. In this article, we discuss the mainframe’s important interview questions and answers, which is simple to understand.
Top 23 Mainframe Interview Questions and Answers
Below are the top questions and answers of Mainframe. These questions are helpful while giving mock tests or interviews.
Q1. What do you know about mainframes?
Answer:
A mainframe is called a big iron as it has multi-user components that help to execute TIPS per second. It is related to centralized computing, where small computers become more powerful, and the mainframe system adds to its additional purpose.
Q2. Explain spool.
Answer:
SPOOL is expanded as a simultaneous peripheral operational online. The meaning of a spool is to operate the input or output device using a buffer in secondary and main storage.
Q3. What is the usage of WHERE?
Answer:
WHERE is used to segregate an element or row while using the related system.
Q4. How should we create a LIKE table?
Answer:
LIKE parameter is used to build a LIKE table using CREATE function, and this table is used to test the production environment.
Q5. Explain the need of runstats in test environments.
Answer:
It is used to clear the different values in catalog columns, which are already filled with default values with unexpected end results.
Q6. Explain linkage area utilization in COBOL.
Answer:
The linkage area is used as a section of COBOL, and it aids the program to interact with JCL with PARM parameters.
Q7. How is JCL helps to test batch programs?
Answer:
JCL is expanded as a job control language. It is the management language to execute programs as batches. If the user is executing a check job, the JCL can take control as a method that is submitted to check JOB.
Q8. What are foreign keys?
Answer:
Foreign keys have properties to a corresponding table that has matching entries to a primary key in other tables, which results in the development of an association between two tables.
Q9. Explain the DBCTL functions.
Answer:
DBCTL functions are used to work on IMS files to process CICS transactions. It is a structured address space. ACBs, IMS, PSBs, and DBDs are standard to DBCTL to access the files. If there is an IMS call that is produced by the CICS program. The process gets transmitted to DBCTL, which needs to be carried, and the resultant is transferred as a reply.
Q10. Explain types of tablespaces.
Answer:
The three types of tablespace are simple, partitioned, and segmented.
Q11. What is the difference between multiple and composite indexes?
Answer:
Multiple indexes hold two indexes, one for every column in the same table, and a composite index has a single index that consists of combined values in two columns on a table.
Q12. Explain the divisions of COBOL.
Answer:
Practical division, data division, environmental division, and identification division which is the most significant division.
Q13. Explain the COBOL types.
Answer:
The types of COBOL are numbers, alphabets, and alpha-numeric values.
Q14. Explain ISER NUMERIC rule.
Answer:
Numeric can be executed as alphanumeric items, that is, infinite and packed decimal values can be entered with the help of packed and digital decimal items. It turns true if the numeric values are in between 0 to 9. If it is a tested signed item, then it can have values between 0-9, +, and –
Q15. How to use COPYBOOK in COBOL?
Answer:
COPYBOOK is like a spare key format of any record that uses the same design on any program. The user can avoid the same COPYBOOK for different documents, and if the design is the same, the REPLACE choice is made to use the COPYBOOK.
Q16. Explain the distinction between COPY and INCLUDE.
Answer:
The low distinction is there, which has an excellent way of working, and it helps to include designs in programs. The main impact is INCLUDE options are stretched to PRE-COMPILATION, which works by self. The main idea to use DCLGEN is because of INCLUDE options.
Q17. Explain the update cursor.
Answer:
The update pointer enables the user to update or delete the current row. The aim of UPDATE is to allow the information server to capture so that program stays updated on any row. This information server places an added exact row locks that measures and turns the fetched values to the square via associate degree using an updated pointer. It also fetches a row value for the pointer, which is not declared with any keyword.
Q18. In COBOL, how do you characterize the tables?
Answer:
Happen function is used to characterize the tables, which can be used with table components except for INDEX or SUBSCRIPT.
Q19. What is the use of COMP in COBOL?
Answer:
It is applied to have ideal utilization of speed management at arithmetic functions.
Q20. How to use 88-level items in COBOL?
Answer:
It is used to restrict factors and take choices with specific conditions within a program.
Q21. Is it possible to move alphanumeric values to numeric fields?
Answer:
Yes, by using the MOVE option, but the incentives can be failed if it is applied as a part of computations on number-crunching.
Q22. How to differentiate CALL proclamations as DYNAMIC or STATIC?
Answer:
If the name of the program is explicitly avoided in CALL articulation, then it is defined as a static call, or if any operational stockpiling values are avoided in CALL articulation, then it is defined as a dynamic call.
Q23. Explain the types of lock.
Answer:
The three types of lock are shared, update, and exclusive. Share is used to lock type that enables two or more programs to get viewed from the locked area but doesn’t have any edit option. An update is a lenient lock that allows the program to view and edit it in a locked area. Exclusive lock confines all the users accessing the program in a locked area.
Conclusion
Hence it would be easy for the developers to have in-depth knowledge of all parts of mainframe technologies which have coding and backend format. Mainframe computers are used in accounting, business reactions, and many real-time applications, which work with high scalability and reliability.
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