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IBM Mainframe Systems Operator Level I Certificate 2.5 (V2) > Application Programming Basics > Flashcards

Application Programming Basics Flashcards

1
Q

Dataset

A

A unit of data storage or retrieval consisting of one or more data records

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2
Q

Where in standard computing environments, it is a directory, what is it in mainframe?

A

A catalog

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3
Q

What is a catalog?

A

A dataset with information about other datasets

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4
Q

What type of information does a catalog keep about datasets?

A

Type, location, size, and format

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5
Q

What is the “root”, or “base” catalog structure called?

A

The master catalog

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6
Q

What does the master catalog contain?

A

Entries for datasets and for subcatalogs

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7
Q

What else is a subcatalog referred to as?

A

User catalogs

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8
Q

How do places organize catalogs to improve performance, security, and manageability.?

A

They create user catalogs to reduce the number of entries in the master catalog

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9
Q

Using which application would you list a dataset?

A

ISPF

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10
Q

What utility would you use to list datasets?

A

DSLIST utility

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11
Q

How are dataset names organized?

A

Hierarchical qualifiers. ex. zfs.S01.DEV

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12
Q

How can RACF be used to enforce security on a dataset

A

At the hierarchical level, for example, all datasets beginning with ZFS

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13
Q

When allocating a dataset, how do you specify space?

A

In blocks, records, tracks, or cylinders

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14
Q

Blocked data sets

A

Contain multiple records of fixed or variable record size

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15
Q

Unblocked data sets

A

Contain blocks of single records

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16
Q

On what is DASD data stored?

A

Tracks

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17
Q

Tracks

A

A unit of space on a DASD

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18
Q

How are tracks described?

A

As the number of bytes that can be written by a single read-write head in one position over the surface of a disk.

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19
Q

What is the maximum number of bytes on a 3390 track if a single record is written?

A

56,664

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20
Q

Storage waste occurs if the size of the track ____

A

is not a multiple of the block size

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21
Q

What’s a more accurate way to measure the amount of storage used by a dataset?

A

The number of tracks whose size is consistent for a device type

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22
Q

What is the largets unit of allocation?

A

A cylinder, made up of several tracks.

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23
Q

Name that acronym
AM

A

Access Method

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24
Q

Name that acronym
BSAM

A

Basic Sequential Access Method

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25
Q

Name that acronym

QSAM

A

Queued sequential access method

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26
Q

VSAM

A

Virtual Storage Access method

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27
Q

BDAM

A

Dasic Direct access method

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28
Q

BPAM

A

Basic partitioned access method

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29
Q

What is the simplest of basic data storage types?

A

flat file

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30
Q

How is a flat-file accessed?

A

Flat files are usually QSAM but are occasionally BSAM data sets.

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31
Q

PDS

A

Partitioned data set

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32
Q

Partitioned data set

A

A data set that is divided into sections called members.

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33
Q

A PDS has a directory of its members that can contain addition information. What is this called?

A

Statistics

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34
Q

True or False

A Members of a PDS inherit the same format type?

A

True

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35
Q

What is the use case for PDS?

A

PDS are used to store and organize most of the source and executables required to run and manage applications on an enterprise system.

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36
Q

Is the following record a PDS or a member of a PDS?

IBMUSER.JCL(ARUNREP)

A

Member

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37
Q

Is the following record a PDS or a member of a PDS?

IBMUSER.JCL

A

PDS

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38
Q

When is a PDS referred to as libraries?

A

When they use a naming convention indicating the type of source or module that the PDS contains

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39
Q

How are libraries often organized?

A

Into production or application groupings

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40
Q

When organizing libraries into groupings, what type of grouping are often used?

A

site-specific naming conventions, such as PROD.APP.librarytype or DEVEL.APP.librarytype.

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41
Q

How is library security managed?

A

Through RACF or a similar security system

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42
Q

SCM

A

Software configuration management

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43
Q

How is access to the underlying PDS and migration of the PDS members between environments managed?

A

Using a Software configuration management (SCM)

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44
Q

VSAM

A

Virtual storage access method

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45
Q

Virtual storage access method

A

VSAM) refers to the access method software for direct processing by key or record number, or sequential processing of fixed and variable length records.

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46
Q

CLUSTER

A

Used for certain VSAM files such as the Keyed Sequential Data Set (KSDS)

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47
Q

Why do certain VSAMs get referred to as a cluster?

A

They consist of an index file and a data file. These two components constitute the cluster.

48
Q

Whihc IPFS option displays datasets?

49
Q

When accessing option 3.4 and the enter key is pressed, the system initially accesses the ______, which contains a record of all data sets on the system.

A

Master Catalog

50
Q

Datasets are displayed including the space allocation, which is specified in _________

A

Block, tracks, or cylinders

51
Q

A dataset format of FB is common and indicates that data within the dataset is ____________

A

Fixed and blocked

52
Q

What are other VSAM file organizations?

A

Entry Sequenced Data Set (ESDS)
Relative Record Data Set (RRDS)
Linear Data Set (LDS)

53
Q

Why is VSAM used by many applications and systems?

A

Compared to DBMS, it provides direct and indexed access with low overhead

54
Q

What considerations should a system or application use when using a VSAM instead of a DBMS?

A

Issues such as record locking, logging, and recovery facilities

55
Q

T/F

VSAM datasets are only used in database structures?

56
Q

VTOC

A

Volume Table Of Contents

57
Q

Volume Table Of Contents

A

VTOC is searched to find out where the data set resides on the disk.

58
Q

When does the system search the VTOC?

A

After z/OS searches the catalog to find the volume where the dataset resides

59
Q

What does a dataset name consist of?

A

A number of qualifiers

60
Q

What is the maximum character limit of a qualifier?

61
Q

Most organizations use which product to facilitate the migration of the source code between development, test and production environments, and to provide versioning, history, and audit trails?

A

Software Configuration Manager

62
Q

True or False

A PDS is a type of VSAM data set.

A

False
A PDS is a partitioned data set, which is not a VSAM data set.

63
Q

T/F

A Key Sequence Data Set (KSDS) is a type of VSAM data set.

64
Q

T/F

VSAM data sets are only used in database structures.

A

False
VSAM datasets are the lower-level data stores for databases, but they can also be used, outside of a database management system (DBMS), for direct access by application programs.

65
Q

T/F

A VSAM cluster consists of data files and indexes.

66
Q

What does a database consist of to be considered a database?

A

A combination of a structured data store and a database management system (DBMS).

67
Q

What is a database management system (DBMS)?

A

Software used to allow users and application programs to access and use databases.

68
Q

When using a database to store and access data, what communicates with the DBMS to enable it to access and manipulate managed data?

A

The application

69
Q

An enterprise quality database manages what?

A

Concurrency
Security
Recoverability

70
Q

What is data concurrence?

A

The ability of multiple applications or threads to update or read the same data in a consistent manner

71
Q

What is data security?

A

The control of access and operations to sets of data within the database

72
Q

What is data recoverability?

A

Recoverability and the maintenance of logs, journals, and backups to enable the recovery of data to a previous point in time or to a previous state in the event of failure, error, or disaster

73
Q

What are two of the more popular DBMS software?

74
Q

IMS

A

Information Management System

75
Q

Information Management System

A

A family of IBM products that consists of a database manager, transaction manager, and system services that support access to data in hierarchical databases.

76
Q

Db2

A

IBM’s relational database product offering.

77
Q

What three database models are most prevalent?

A

Hierarchical, network, relational, and object

78
Q

Information Management System (IMS) is what model of a database system?

A

Hierarchical

79
Q

Db2 is what model of a database system?

A

Relational

80
Q

IMS TM

A

Information Management System Transaction Manager

81
Q

IMS DB

A

Information Management System Database Manager

82
Q

Information Management System Database Manager

A

The database

83
Q

Information Management System Transaction Manager (IMS TM)

A

The transaction manager

84
Q

What defines a hierarchical database model?

A

Data segments are organized in a tree structure with a parent-child relationship

85
Q

Depending on the type of IMS database, the underlying data sets can be a mix of _________

A

VSAM and flat types

86
Q

True or false

Databases can have a logical relationship between separate IMS databases?

A

True - however this is managed by the application

87
Q

What is IMS DBs main strength?

A

its ability to contain large amounts of integrated data and process it quickly and efficiently.

88
Q

DL/I

A

Data Language 1

89
Q

Data Language 1

A

A data language

90
Q

True or False

When using a DBMS, the programmer must code for logging, file locking, etc?

91
Q

True or False

IMS programs can directly access the database?

92
Q

Using what method can CICS programs directly access the IMS database?

93
Q

What does WebSphere Application Server use to access IMS Databses?

94
Q

ODBA

A

Open Database Access

95
Q

True of False

Db2 is unique to IBM products?

A

False - It’s available on Linux, UNIX, Windows and z/OS

96
Q

What language is employed by Db2?

A

SQL - Structured Query Language

97
Q

Name a few ways Db2 is accessible

A

Traditional transaction servers such as CICS and IMS

TSO, z/OS UNIX, or batch programs

Using WebSphere Application Server

Db2 stored procedures

Db2 Distributed Data Facility (DDF)

98
Q

DDF

A

Db2 Distributed Data Facility

99
Q

While programming Db2 is standard SQL, what are they compiled to at runtime?

100
Q

What considerations are needed to be made for a solid database?

A

Concerrency
Locking
Security
Availability
Multimedia data
Stored procedures in Java and mainframe languages

101
Q

True or False

3rd party database tools can coexist with IBM data products?

A

True - They use basic operating system data set storage

102
Q

Which data language is used to access IMS databases?

103
Q

Db2 database information is retrieved using which language?

104
Q

True or False

Db2 data can be accessed using both batch and online applications

105
Q

True or False

Db2 is a hierarchical database

A

False - Relational

106
Q

True or False

A z/OS system could have both Db2 and IMS running at the same time

107
Q

True or False

Db2 can only be accessed from z/OS

A

False - Outside of z/OS using Db2 DDF.

108
Q

What is the z/OS equivalent of a file?

Datafile
File store
Database
Data set
Data store
Data mart

109
Q

What are the three traditional units of allocation used in a z/OS system?

Record
Units
Block
Cylinder
Byte
Track

A

Block
Cylinder
Track

z/OS allocates and maintains online data storage by using units of blocks, tracks, and cylinders.

110
Q

When data set content is accessed, how is it read by the system?

A

An appropriate access method is used for the data set type.

An appropriate access method (such as QSAM or VSAM), which defines how the data is stored and retrieved, is used.

111
Q

Which type of data set allows you to view statistics that display when members were last modified?

A

Partitioned data set

When browsing or editing a partitioned data set using DSLIST (option 3.4 in ISPF), a member list containing statistics is shown, including when the member was last modified.

112
Q

Which DASD item contains information relating to the location of all data sets on that volume?

A

VTOC

To locate a dataset, the operating system will generally interrogate a z/OS catalog to find the volume where the dataset resides. Having found the correct volume, its table of contents, the VTOC, is searched to find out where exactly on this disk the dataset resides.

113
Q

A PDS that is used to store source or executable code on z/OS is called what?

A

A library

A PDS that is used to store source or executable code on z/OS is often called a library.

114
Q

Database management systems manage data stored in databases. Which of the following are two popular IBM DBMS that run on z/OS?

A

Db2
IMS

Db2 and IMS (or IMS Db) are the two IBM DBMs that run on z/OS. IMS TM is a part of IMS that manages transactions (not databases). IDMS is a DBMS offered by Broadcom.

115
Q

Programs will use a data language to access Db2 resources. What is the name of this data language?

A

SQL

Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to access resources of relational databases, including Db2.

116
Q

What standard data language is used to access and manage data in IMS?

A

DL/I is the standard data language used to access and manage data in IMS.

IBM Mainframe Systems Operator Level I Certificate 2.5 (V2) (10 decks)

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