z/OS Systems Programming Basics

Question 1

What is virtual storage

Answer 1

A technique that makes programs believe all required program instructions are residing in real storage.

Question 2

How is virtual storage accomplished?

Answer 2

Through using auxiliary storage. Older data is moved to auxiliary storage until needed.

Question 3

Tasks require a given amount of memory, how does virtual memory handle multiple tasks whose tasks require more real storage than is available?

Answer 3

By queueing in virtual storage, then swapping to real when the task is active

Question 4

Swapping in and out of auxiliary storage is taxing. How does IBM handle this process?

Answer 4

Through IBM’s System Resource Manager (SRM)

Question 5

How does IBM’s System Resource Manager (SRM) ensure page swapping is not taxing?

Answer 5

Through logical swapping by keeping the address space in real storage, while making it appear it has been swapped out (keeping it in real storage)

Question 6

What is done the real and aux storage when a task is completed?

Answer 6

It is released for other tasks

Question 7

Virtual storage is divided in what?

Answer 7

Pages

Question 8

What is a page in virtual storage?

Answer 8

A fixed-length piece of virtual storage, usually 4 KB in size.

Question 9

What is the typical size of a virtual storage page?

Answer 9

4 KB

Question 10

What is a frame?

Answer 10

A fixed-length piece of central storage (memory), usually 4 KB in size.

Question 11

What is a slot?

Answer 11

Auxiliary storage is divided into 4 KB (or 1 MB or 2GB) units called

Question 12

What is a page?

Answer 12

A fixed-length piece of virtual storage, usually 4 KB in size.

Question 13

Addressable space that appears as real memory

Answer 13

Virtual Storage

Question 14

Active physical system memory

Answer 14

Real Storage

Question 15

Storage that is not central storage, such as flash storage and DASD

Answer 15

Auxiliary Storage

Question 16

Name that acronym

SQA

Answer 16

System Queue Area

Question 17

System Queue Area

Answer 17

Contains system tables that are critical to the entire system

Question 18

Nucleus

Answer 18

Contains operating system control programs

Question 19

Name that acronym

PLPA

Answer 19

Pageable Link Pack Area

Question 20

Pageable Link Pack Area

Answer 20

Stores many of the z/OS modules

Question 21

Name that acronym

FLPA

Answer 21

Fixed Link Pack Area

Question 22

Fixed Link Pack Area (FLPA)

Answer 22

Also stores z/OS modules

Question 23

Name that acronym

MLPA

Answer 23

Modified Link Pack Area

Question 24

Modified Link Pack Area

Answer 24

Stores z/OS modules for the duration of the IPL only

Question 25

Name that acronym

CSA

Answer 25

Common Service Area

Question 26

Common Service Area

Answer 26

Primarily used for inter-address space communication

Question 27

Name that acronym

LS

Question 28

When is auxiliary storage released?

Answer 28

When the task is completed

Question 29

In which area of virtual storage are the PLPA and the CSA?

Answer 29

Common

Question 30

If MVS ran out of storage in the SQA, where would it dynamically allocate more SQA storage?

Answer 30

CSA