DBA > Job Interview Questions > Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) Interview Questions

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1. Which Vsam clusters support only fixed length records ?
a) LDS
b) RRDS
c) ESDS
d) KSDS


the correct answer: b) RRDS


2. FREESPACE can be specified for which type of cluster?
a) LDS
b) RRDS
c) ESDS
d) KSDS
the correct answer: d) KSDS


3. In which cluster type are records added at the end of the data set ?
a) LDS
b) RRDS
c) ESDS
d) KSDS
the correct answer: c) ESDS


4. The type of processing supported by RRDS are
a) sequential
b) skip-sequential
c) direct
d) a and b
e) a,b and c
the correct answer: e) a,b and c


5. The types of processing supported by ESDS are
a) sequential
b) skip-sequential
c) direct
d) a and b
e) a and c
the correct answer: d) a and b


6. Spanned records can be found in
a) ESDS
b) KSDS
c) RRDS
d) a and b
e) a and c
the correct answer: d) a and b


7. Spanned records can be accessed in
a) MOVE
b) LOCATE
c) a and b
d) NONe
the correct answer:a) MOVE


8. Alternate Index is a special type of
a) KSDS
b) ESDS
c) RRDS
d) NONe
the correct answer:a) KSDS


9. Specifying CISZ(4096) at the cluster level for a KSDS results in
a) VSAM ignoring the specification
b) Data and index CISZ 4k each
c) Data CISZ 4k; CISZ selected by VSAM
d) Index CISZ 4k ; data CISZ selected by VSAM
the correct answer: c) Data CISZ 4k; CISZ selected by VSAM


10. When defining a KSDS, which of the following paramters is not required
a) Space allocation (either CYL, REC or TRK)
b) VOLUMES
c) KEYS
d) NAME
the correct answer:b) VOLUMES


11.Default RECORD SIZE for a NONSPANNED dara set is
a) (80 80)
b) (4086 32600)
c) (100 32600)
d) (4089 4089)
the correct answer:d) (4089 4089)


12.If the key of a KSDS record begins in the second filed (first field is 25 bytes long ), the offset in the KEYS parameter is
a) 24
b) 25
c) (26
d) None
the correct answer:a) 24


13.Data organization in KSDS is
a) INDEXED
b) NUMBERED
c) LINEAR
d) NONINDEXED
the correct answer:a) INDEXED


14. The default cluster type is
a) ESDS
b) RRDS
c) LDS
d) KSDS
the correct answer:d) KSDS


15. VOLUMES parameter can be specified at
a) cluster level
b) data level and index level
c) All the above
d) None
the correct answer:c) All the above


16. The RECORDSIZE parameter cannot be coded for
a) ESDS
b) RRDS
c) LDS
d) KSDS
the correct answer:c) LDS


17. The default PRINT format is
a) Character
b) Dump
c) Hexadecimal
d) None
the correct answer:b) Dump


18. Which of the following REPRO selection parameters can be specified for an LDS
a) FROMKEY
b) FROMADDRESS
c) FROMNUMBER
d) SKIP
e) None
the correct answer:e) None


19. The REPLACE parameter cause
a) KSDS records to be replaced by an input record with the same key
b) ESDS records to be replaced by an input record with the same RBA
c) RRDS records to be replaced by an input record with the same RRN
d) a and c
e) All the above
the correct answer:c) RRDS records to be replaced by an input record with the same RRN


20. Which of the following is not a modal command ?
a) IF
b) THEN
c) ELSE
d) DO
e) GOTO
the correct answer:e) GOTO


21.Using REPRO to reorganize a KSDS, which of the following is true ?
a) Input must be ascending key sequence
b) No duplicate keys are allowed.
c) Non-unique keys are allowed
d) a and c
e) a and b
the correct answer:e) a and b


22. Which of the following entry names are valid for ALTER FREESPACE ?
a) Cluster namee
b) Data component name
c) Index component name d) a and c
e) a ,b and c
the correct answer:b) Data component name


23. Which of the following is a correct generic name specification for TEST.USER.DATA.A ?
a) TEST.USER
b) TEST.*.*.A
c) *USER.DATA.A
d) TEST.USER.*.A
e) a ,b and c
the correct answer:a) TEST.USER


24. To alter a cluster to an LDS, the cluster must ?
a) be an ESDS
b) be NONSPANNED
c) Have a CISZ of 4K
d) not have an alternate index associated with it
e) all the above
the correct answer:e) all the above


25. For which access mode below must the application program interpret RDFs ?
a) KEY
b) ADR
c) ADR for a KSDS
d) CNV
e) None
the correct answer:b) ADR


26. At OPEN, VSAM determines processing options in the following order ?
a) JCL, program, catalog
b) program,JCL, catalog
c) JCL,catalog,program
d) catalog, program,JCL
e) None
the correct answer:d) catalog, program,JCL


27. VSAM request macros (e. g., GET, PUT ) point to which other macros ?
a) OPEN
b) ACB
c) RPL
d) CLOSE
e) b and c
f) none
the correct answer:c) RPL


28. If a program uses direct processing exlusively, DIR is specified in which macros ?
a) OPEN
b) ACB
c) RPL
d) CLOSE
e) b and c
f) None
the correct answer:c) RPL

29. VSAM processing options could be specified in
a) Catalog
b) Program control blocks
c) RPL
d) JCL
e) None
f) All the above
the correct answer:e) None

30. Which of the following is not a COBOL verb ?
a) START
b) READ
c) DELETE
d) UPDATE
e) REWRITE
the correct answer:d) UPDATE

31. Which of the following is /are not supported by COBOL?
a) Skip-sequential processing
b) RBA addressing
c) Replacing existing record
d) a and b
e) a,b and c
f) a an c the correct answer:d) a and b

32. Which is a valid SHAREOPTIONS specification?
a) SHR(2 2)
b) SHR(2 3)
c) SHR(4 1)
d) SHR(1 2)
e) None
the correct answer:b) SHR(2 3)

33. For a data set defined with SPEED, which of the following is true?
a) SPEED is effective for the intitial load only
b) SPEED is effective for all additions to the data set after intial load
c) If the load program ABENDS, VERIFY can detemine the HIGH-USED-RBA of the data set.
d) If the load program ABENDS, only those records remaining in buffers need to be added to the data set.
e) None
the correct answer:a) SPEED is effective for the intitial load only

34. VERIFY cannot be used for
a) Empty data set
b) LDS
c) a and b
d) None
the correct answer:c) a and b

35. For a data set define with NOERASE , which of the following is not true
a) Desirable for sensitive data
b) Removes catalog entries
c) All the above
d) None
the correct answer:a) Desirable for sensitive data

36. Buffer space cannot be specified in which of the following ?
a) DD statement
b) Assembler program
c) AMS DEFINE
d) COBOL program
the correct answer:d) COBOL program

37. How many data buffers are required for sequential processing to overlap I/O processing ?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
the correct answer: c) 4

38. When defining a KSDS, the best place to specify CISZ is generally ?
a) At the cluster level
b) At the data level only
c) At the index level only
d) At both data and indez level
the correct answer: b) At the data level only

39. For direct processing the recommended number of data buffers is
a) STRNO
b) STRNO+1
c) STRNO+2
d) STRNO+3
e) None
the correct answer: b) STRNO+1

40. For 3380 DASD, TRK(50 5) results in which CA size for a KSDS defined with NOIMBED ?
a) 1 TRK
b) 5 TRK
c) 15 TRK
d) 50 TRK
e) None
the correct answer: b) 5 TRK

41. Suppose you are defining a multi-volume data set with VOL(A B) and five key ranges specified. Which of the following correctly indicates where each key range will be located ?
a) First key range on VOL A: second on B: third on A: etc.
b) First key range on VOL B: second on A: third on B: etc.
c) First key range on VOL A: remaining key ranges on B
d) All key ranges on VOL A: B is used for overflow only.
e) All key ranges on VOL B: A is used for overflow only.
the correct answer: c) First key range on VOL A: remaining key ranges on B

42. An alternate index can be defined for which cluster type ??
a) KSDS and RRDS.
b) KSDS and ESDS
c) KSDS and LDS
d) KSDS only
e) KSDS, ESDS and RRDS.
the correct answer: b) KSDS and ESDS

43. If an application program access a base cluster in alternate key sequencem then DD statements are needed for which data set?
a) Base cluster
b) Alternate index
c) path
d) a and b
e) a and c
f) a, b and c
the correct answer: f) a, b and c

44. An alternate index itself is which cluster type?
a) LDS
b) RRDS
c) ESDS
d) KSDS
e) None
the correct answer:d) KSDS

45. Which of the following backs up data in CI mode?
a) REPRO only
b) EXPORT only
c) Both REPRO and EXPORT
d) Neither REPRO and EXPORT
the correct answer:b) EXPORT only

46. Which of the following writes catalog information into the backup data set?
a) REPRO only
b) EXPORT only
c) Both REPRO and EXPORT
d) Neither REPRO nor EXPORT
the correct answer:b) EXPORT only

47. Which of the following requires a DELETE/DEFINE before the command can be used to restore an existing data set?
a) REPRO only
b) EXPORT only
c) Both REPRO and EXPORT
d) Neither REPRO nor EXPORT
the correct answer:a) REPRO only

48. Which HBACKDS the use of apostrophes to enclose the DSNAME is ?
a) Required
b) Used to exclude the TSO ID as the high level qualifier
c) Required only if one or more seqments are specified generically
d) Not allowed if the data set is password protected
the correct answer:b) Used to exclude the TSO ID as the high level qualifier

Answer the following briefly:

1. Differentiate between Control Interval and Control Area.
2. How many bytes of control information are there if all records are of the same length ? Specify the number of bytes used by RDFs and CIDFs.
3. Differentiate between Direct and Sequential processing. 4. What types of data sets are supported by VSAM ?
5. What is cluster ?
6. Specify the default action of VSAM if the specified CISZ is not valid in defining the cluster.
7. How are records stored in each type of VSAM data set ?
8. What is the function performed by VSAM ALTER ?
9. What is the difference between a user catalog and a master catalog ?
10. How do you specify the amount of CI to be used
11. How do you specify the amount of CA available to a file ?
12, Explain the need for free space
13. What does it imply, if FSPC(100 100 ) is specified in DEFINE CLUSTER command ?
14. What is AMS ? How are its services invoked ?
15. Describe the various levels of password protection
16. What is the format of SHAREOPTIONS and why is it used ?
17. In what manner the VSAM data sets can be shared with SHAREOPTION(2 3 ) ?
18. Mention some of the important types of information that can be obtained from LISTCAT.
19. How can you check the amont of free space available for a data set ?
20. How can we obtain the status of a master catalog or a user catalog ?
21 What is a VSAM mode ?
22 What is a reusable data set
23. What is the function performed by VSAM REPRO /
24. What is the effect of REUSE with REPRO ?
25. What is the effect of REPLACE with REPRO ?
26. What is the function performed by PRINT ?
27. What is a data class ?
28. Mention some of the JCL parameters used for VSAM.
29. How can you view the contents of a Data Class ?
30. Differentiate between logical record access and control interval access.
31. Differentiate between MOE mode and LOCATE mode.
32. What happens when a VSAM data set is requested for OPEN ?
33. What is AMP and when would you use it ?
34. What is IIP and when is it used ?
35. Mention some of the COBOL in processing a VSAM data set ?
36. What are the limitations of COBOL in processing a VSAM data set ?
37. How can a VSAM data set be shared within a region ?
38. What is the effect of SPEED/RECOVERY with DEFINE CLUSTER ?
39. What is the purpose of VERIFY command ?
40. What is the effect of ERASE/NOERASE with DELELTE CLUSTER ?
41. What is an USVR ? What are its functions ?
42. What is the purpose of free space ?
43. What function is performed by IMBED parameter ?
44. What function is performed by REPLICATE parameter ?
45. What is the purpose of buffer space ?
46. Explain the terms front and rear key compressions.
47. Explain the need for an alternate index.
48. What is a PATH ?
49. What functions does the UPGRADE option do ?
50. What is the function of BLDINDEX ?
51. What are the various utilities available for backing up of data and restoring it ?
52. Why do we go for reorganizing a KSDS ?
53. What are the effect of reoganization of a KSDS ?
54. What is control interval ?
55. What is KSDS, ESDS, RRDS ?
56. What is VERIFY on VSAM file ?

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