Q.
|
What are the two CICS Signon transactions?
|
A.
|
CESN and CSSN.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between CESN and CSSN?
|
A.
|
CESN is the sign-on transaction with the External Security Manager such as RACF. ESM user id and the associated password must be provided for CESN transaction. On the other hand, CSSN is the sign on the transaction without ESM. The OPNAME and PASSWORD defined in the SNT must be provided for this transaction.
|
Q.
|
What is the latest version of CICS?
|
A.
|
CICS TS Version 5.5
|
Q.
|
What are the two types of direct access files supported by CICS?
|
A.
|
VSAM and BDAM.
|
Q.
|
What are the two types of TD0s
|
A.
|
Intrapartition TDO and Extrapartition TDQ.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between an Intrapartition TDQ and Extrapartition TDO?
|
A.
|
Intrapartition TDO is read or wrote by the program(s) in the same CICS system while Extrapartition TDQ is used by the applications outside the CICS system also.
|
Q.
|
What are the two types of interfaces provided by CICS to application programs?
|
A.
|
Command level and Macro level.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the CICS translator?
|
A.
|
The CICS translator converts the EXEC CICS commands into call statements for a specific programming language. There are CICS translators for Assembler, PUI and COBOL.
|
Q.
|
What does 'pseudo conversational' mean?
|
A.
|
The programming methodology in which the task will not wait for the terminal user's response, but frees the resources after sending the message is called a pseudo-conversational technique. Terminating the task every time the application needs a response from the user and then starting the next transaction when the user presses any attention key is pseudo conversational processing.
|
Q.
|
How can you start a CICS transaction other than keying in the transaction id at the terminal?
|
A.
|
- By coding an EXEC CICS START in the application program.
- By coding the transaction id and a trigger level in the DCT (Automatic Task Initiation).
- By coding the trans id in the EXEC CICS return command.
- By associating the attention key with the PCT.
- By embedding the trans id in the first four positions of a screen sent to the terminal.
- By using the Program List Table.
|
Q.
|
What is the purpose of the Program List Table(PLT)?
|
A.
|
The PLT records are the set of application programs that, will be executed automatically at CICS start-up time.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between EXEC CICS XCTL and EXEC CICS START commands?
|
A.
|
The XCTL command transfers control to another application having the same trans id but the START command initiates a new transaction. The XCTL continues the task on the same terminal while the START can start a task on another terminal.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between EXEC CICS XCTL and EXEC CICS LINK commands?
|
A.
|
The XCTL command transfers the control to an application program of the same level and the control will not come back, while LINK passes control to an application program at the next lower logical level and expects the control back.
|
Q.
|
What happens to resources supplied to a transaction when an XCTL or LINK is executed?
|
A.
|
With XCTL, the working storage and the procedure division of the program issuing the command are released. The 1/0 areas, the GETMAIN areas, and the chained Linkage section areas remain. All existing locks and queues also remain in effect. But with LINK, the program storage is also saved, since the transaction expects to return and use it.
|
Q.
|
What CICS command do you require to obtain the user log-on id?
|
A.
|
The EXEC CICS ASSIGN with USERID option
|
Q.
|
What is a resident program?
|
A.
|
A program or map loaded into the CICS nucleus so that it is kept permanently in the main storage and not deleted when CICS goes 'short on storage'.
|
Q.
|
What are some of the information available in the Execute Interface Block (EIB) area?
|
A.
|
The Cursor position in the map, Trans id, Terminal id, Task number, Length of the Communication area, Current date and time, Attention identifier, etc.
|
Q.
|
What information can be obtained from the EIBRCODE ?
|
A.
|
It tells the application program if the last CICS command was executed successfully and if not why not.
|
Q.
|
What is the effect of including TRANSID in the EXEC CICS RETURN command?
|
A.
|
The next time the user presses an attention key, CICS will start the transaction specified in the TRANSID option.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the HANDLE CONDITION command?
|
A.
|
To specify the program or paragraph label to which the control has to be passed if the exception condition specified in the HANDLE CONDITION occurs.
|
Q.
|
What does HANDLE ABEND command do?
|
A.
|
Allows the establishing of an exit so clean up processing can be done in the event of an abnormal task termination.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between the HANDLE CONDITION and ignore COMMAND?
|
A.
|
A HANDLE CONDITION command specifies what should be done when the specified condition occurs. Or it is equivalent to a conditional 'go to' statement. But the IGNORE command gives control back to the next sequential instruction following the command causing the condition.
|
Q.
|
What happens when a CICS command contains the NOHANDLE option?
|
A.
|
No action is going to be taken for an exceptional condition occurring during the execution of this command. The abnormal condition that has occurred will be ignored even if a HANDLE CONDITION command exists. It has the the same effect as the IGNORE command except that it will not cancel the previous HANDLE CONDITION for any other command.
|
Q.
|
What happens when a CICS Command contains a RESP option?
|
A.
|
No action is taken for any exceptional conditions occurring during the execution of the command. When the abnormal condition occurs, the CICS response code will be stored in the program work area and can be checked at the next sequential instruction.
|
Q.
|
If an application uses a HANDLE AID ENTER(main-logic) and the HANDLE CONDITION ERROR(abort-rtn)commands. If the program issues a RECEIVE MAP and a MPFAIL condition occurs, which process will take control: main -logic or ABORT-RTN?
|
A.
|
Main-logic will receive control because HANDLE AID has priority over HANDLE CONDITION.
|
Q.
|
What is the difference between the INTO and SET options in the RECEIVE MAP command?
|
A.
|
The INTO option moves the information in the TIOA into the reserved specified area, while the SET option simply returns the address of the TIOA to the specified BLL cell or 'address-of' a linkage section.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the Basic Mapping Support (BMS) ?
|
A.
|
BMS allows the application to be device and format independent. It translates the formatted data stream, thus enabling the application to reference data by symbolic labels.
|
Q.
|
What are the mapset, map and field definition macros ?
|
A.
|
DFHMSD, DFHMDI and DFHMDF
|
Q.
|
What is static Cursor Positioning?
|
A.
|
When defining the map field using DFHMDF macro in the attribute parameter if IC is coded, the cursor will be positioned in that field. This method of cursor positioning is called static cursor positioning.
|
Q.
|
What is a skipper field?
|
A.
|
When defining a field using DFHMDF if you specify in the ATTRB option ASKIP, the cursor will skip to the next unprotected field. This is the skipped field.
|
Q.
|
How can you highlight a field, say NAME in a map during execution?
|
A.
|
By moving either DFHBMBRY to the NAMEA field in the symbolic map (bright only) or DFHBMASB to the NAMEA field in the symbolic map (ASKIP BRIGHT).
|
Q.
|
What are the different ways available for a program to position the cursor on the screen?
|
A.
|
1. Static positioning. Code the insert cursor(IC) in the DFHMDF BMS macro.
2. Relative positioning. Code the CURSOR option with a value relative to zero.
3. Symbolic positioning. Move high values or -1 to the field length in the symbolic map and code CURSOR on the SEND command.
|
Q.
|
Explain the difference between MAPONLY and DATAONLY in a SEND MAP command.
|
A.
|
A vast majority of the maps are defined as input/output. Therefore to reduce data transmission, when the first time the map is sent, MAPONLY option must be used, because this will set up the initial template on the screen. After that, the application needs to send only the variable data in the symbolic map using DATAONLY.
|
Q.
|
What is Modified Data Tag(MDT)
|
A.
|
MDT is a 1-bit attribute character of a BMS field. When it is set on, CICS will transmit the data contained in the associated map field.
|
|
Q.
|
Name the different ways in which the MDT can be set on.
|
A.
|
MDT can be set on
1. When the user enters data into the field.
2. When the application program moves the DFHBMSFSE to the attribute character.
3. By defining it in the BMS macro definition.
|
Q.
|
What happens if neither MAPONLY nor DATAONLY are specified?
|
A.
|
The data from the physical map and the data from the symbolic map are merged, causing an increase in data transmission.
|
Q.
|
What is MAPSET?
|
A.
|
It is a collection of BMS maps link-edited together.
|
Q.
|
How are physical and symbolic maps defined?
|
A.
|
In the DFHMDI macro if you specify TYPE=MAP physical map and TYPE=DSECT symbolic map will be produced.
|
Q.
|
If the length of the text specified in the INITIAL option of the DFHMDF macro exceeds the length specified in the LENGTH option what will happen?
|
A.
|
The excess length will be truncated.
|
Q.
|
If IC is specified for more than one field then where will the Cursor be positioned?
|
A.
|
At the last field with IC.
|
Q.
|
What are the commands for sending and receiving data to the terminal?
|
A.
|
SEND and RECEIVE.
|
Q.
|
What is the command used to send the text to the screen without BMS?
|
A.
|
SEND TEXT
|
Q.
|
What is the command used to send a logical message which contains more than one physical screens
|
A.
|
SEND PAGE
|
Q.
|
What is the EIB field which identifies the key pressed by the terminal user?
|
A.
|
EIBAID Command level and Macro level. It defines the fields, literals and characteristics of a field. It is part of the DFHMDI macro.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the Terminal Control Table (TCT)?
|
A.
|
The TCT defines the characteristics of each terminal with which CICS can communicate.
|
Q.
|
When an application program issues an EXEC CICS RECEIVE MAP command and there is no data send back to the application program, what exceptional condition will occur?
|
A.
|
A MAPFAIL condition.
|
Q.
|
What does it mean when EIBCALEN is equal to zeros?
|
A.
|
When the length of the communication area (EIBCALEN) is equal to zero, it means that no data was passed to the application. When working in the pseudo-conversational mode, EIBCALEN can be checked for zeros as a way of determining the first time usage of the program.
|
Q.
|
Which CICS system program is responsible for handling the automatic task initiation (AT" ?
|
A.
|
Transient Data Program (TDP).
|
Q.
|
What are the differences between a Temporary storage Queue and Transient Data queue?
|
A.
|
TSQ names are dynamically defined in the application program while TDO names must be defined first in the DCT. When a TDO contains a certain number of records (trigger level), a CICS transaction can be automatically started (ATI), which is not possible with TSO. Extrapartition TD0s may be used by batch applications while TSQs cannot be accessed in batch. The TDQ is actually an OSAM file. An existing item in a TSQ can be updated while that in a TDO cannot be updated. The read in a TDO is destructive while in a TSQ it is not. Records in a TSQ can be read randomly while in a TDO only sequential read is possible.
|
Q.
|
What will happen if a task issues an EXEC CICS DELETEQ TD against an extrapartition TDQ?
|
A.
|
An invalid request condition will occur. The default action is to terminate the task.
|
Q.
|
How can the use of the same TDQ by different users prevented ?
|
A.
|
By issuing an EXEC CICS ENQ against the resource and after completing the process issue a DEQ command to free the resource.
|
Q.
|
What are the other ways of releasing the resource previously ENQ ed by a task, then DEQ ?
|
A.
|
By issuing an SYNCPOINT command or using a RETURN command and return control to CICS, when CICS will automatically release a resource.
|
Q.
|
When an application is invoked using the START command with the FROM option, how does the application gain access to the common area?
|
A.
|
An EXEC CICS RETRIEVE command will access the common area.
|
Q.
|
What happens when a SYNCPOINT command is issued?
|
A.
|
The logical unit of work(LUW) is terminated. Everything on the deferred work element (DWE) chain is cleaned up. If Dynamic transaction back out (DTB) is on, everything is committed. GETMAIN areas are freed. File locs are released. i/0 areas and linkage sections are released. Browses are terminated. Working storage is not affected.
|
Q.
|
What is a Logical Unit of Work?
|
A.
|
A LUW is all the. Processing that happens between two 'sync point'.
|
Q.
|
The DFHCOMM AREA issued to pass information from one application to another. What are 6me other ways of doing this?
|
A.
|
1. BY using a TSQ
2. By using an intrapartition TDQ.
3. By using the Task Work area
4. By using TCTUA
5. Through a file.
|
2
|
Q.
|
How do you define a Task Work Area?
|
A.
|
By defining it in the Program Control Table (PCT).
|
Q.
|
What is stored in the Temporary storage table (TST) ?
|
A.
|
The TST contains the names of the TPC is that are to be recovered in the event of an abend.
|
Q.
|
What information can be got from an EXEC CICS ASSIGN STARTCODE command?
|
A.
|
One will be able to determine if the application was started by a transient data trigger level (QD), a START command (S, SD), a user terminal input (U), or a Distributed program Link (D,DS).
|
Q.
|
Which CICS command must be issued by the application program in order to gain access to the Common Work Area (CWA)
|
A.
|
An EX0E1C CICS ADDRESS with CWA option.
|
Q.
|
In which CICS table, the length of the Task Work Area is specified?
|
A.
|
Program Control Table (PCT).
|
Q.
|
When a data is loaded into memory using the LOAD command, how does the application program free the memory when the table is no longer needed?
|
A.
|
By coding an EXEC CICS RELEASE command with the Program option.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the HOLD option in the LOAD command?
|
A.
|
When a program is loaded from the CICS DFHRPL concatenation library into the main storage, the HOLD option will result in the program remaining in memory after the task is terminated. When the option is not specified, the main storage is automatically released by CICS.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the File control program (FCP)?
|
A.
|
The FCP provides the application program with the ability to read, browse, add, delete and update records in a file defined in the FCT.
|
Q.
|
If an application has a VSAM/KSDS file READ command with the update option and it finds that the update is no longer required, how does the application release the exclusive control of the record read?
|
A.
|
By executing an UNLOCK command with File or Dataset option or an SYNCPOINT command.
|
Q.
|
What is deadlock ?
|
A.
|
Deadlock occurs when a task is waiting for a resource held by another task which in turn is waiting for a resource held by the first task.
|
Q.
|
Which CICS program is responsible for the management of the Dynamic Storage Area (DSA) ?
|
A.
|
The Storage Control Program.
|
Q.
|
What happens when an application issues a GETMAIN command with the SHARED option to get the main storage?
|
A.
|
There is no automatic release of the obtained storage at the end of the task which requested it.
|
Q.
|
How can an application release main storage acquired by the GETMAIN command?
|
A.
|
By coding a FREEMAIN command with the data or by using the SYNCPOINT command
|
Q.
|
What is the function of REOID in the STARTBR command?
|
A.
|
When you have multiple browse operations at the same time on the same file, the REOID must be coded on the READNEXT I READPREV commands to distinguish on browse from the other.
|
Q.
|
Which are the CICS command that will end the browse operation?
|
A.
|
ENDBR and SYNCPOINT command.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the RESETBR command?
|
A.
|
To reposition the browse and to change the characteristics specified in the STARTBR command without ending the browse.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of CEBR Command?
|
A.
|
To view the contents of the TSQ or TDQ.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the CEDA transaction?
|
A.
|
It is used to perform the Resource definition on-line operation (RDO). It adds, deletes and changes table entries.
|
Q.
|
What is the command to update an existing record in a VSAM/KSDS file?
|
A.
|
The REWRITE command.
|
Q.
|
What is the command to update an existing record in a TSQ?
|
A.
|
The WRITE command with Rewrite option and item number.
|
Q.
|
What is the purpose of the CICS BIF DEEDIT ?
|
A.
|
To remove all characters other than digits from an alphanumeric field. Remaining digits will be right-justified and padded with zeros as necessary.
|
Q.
|
What is the purpose of the UNLOCK command?
|
A.
|
To release exclusive control of a resource.
|
Q.
|
What is Automatic Transaction Initiation?
|
A.
|
CICS tasks can be automatically initiated by specifying a certain trigger level and when the trigger level is reached, by writing the specified number of records into the TDQ, the transaction will be started automatically. For this, there should be an entry in the DCT.
|
Q.
|
What is the function of the Base Locator for Linkage (BLL)?
|
A.
|
The BLL is used to address storage outside the working storage section of the application program. A set of BLL cells is also known as the parameter list. It is not used explicitly in COBOL vs 11 , although BLL cells can be found in the TGT of a COBOL VS 11 program.
|
Q.
|
What is transaction rout?
|
A.
|
It is a CICS mode of intercommunication which allows the terminal connected to the local CICS subsystem to execute another transaction owned by a remote CICS subsystem.
|
Q.
|
Explain 'Function request shipping,
|
A.
|
Function request shipping is one of the CICS modes of intercommunication which allows an application program in a local CICS to access resources owned by a remote CICS subsystem.
|
Q.
|
What is Multi-Region Operation (MRO)?
|
A.
|
MRO is the mechanism by which different CICS subsystems within the same CPU can communicate and share resources.
|
Q.
|
When executing a READ INTO command if the length of the record exceeds the length specified in the LENG 7H option what will happen?
|
A.
|
You will get LENGERR.
|
Q.
|
When a second READ WITH UPDATE is given against the same file in the same task prior to releasing the file, what will happen?
|
A.
|
An INVREQ will take place.
|
Q.
|
How could you prevent such an error?
|
A.
|
After the first task is read and prior to the second read issue, an UNLOCK, execute a DELETE, execute A.REWRITE or execute an SYNCPOINT.
|
Q.
|
Name one condition that would result in the inability to execute a backward browse.
|
A.
|
If you issue a STARTBR with a generic key, backward browse is not possible.
|
Q.
|
While doing a mass delete using a generic key, how can you determine the number of records deleted?
|
A.
|
By using the NUMREC(data-area) option with the generic key. Upon completion of the delete the data-area will contain the number of records that were deleted.
|
Q.
|
Assume trigger level is 1. When a record is written to TDOA, say transaction A is started.
When the number of entries (created by write td commands issued by one or more programs) in the queue reaches the specified trigger level, a task specified in the definition of t
|
A.
|
When the number of entries (created by write td commands issued by one or more programs) in the queue reaches the specified trigger level, a task specified in the definition of the destination is automatically initiated. Control is passed to a program that processes the data in
the queue; the program must issue repetitive readq td commands to deplete the queue. Once the queue has been depleted, a new automatic task initiation cycle begins. That is, a new task is scheduled for initiation when the specified trigger level is again reached, whether or not execution of the prior task has terminated. This is true in the case of trigger level = 1 too.
|
Q.
|
How do we start a CICS transaction from a TSO batch job? Can we pass data to the transaction started this way through means other than extra-partition data set?
|
A.
|
There is a program written to start a CICS txn from the tso( command level) and from a tso batch program. It accepts two parameters, CICS region and the CICS command. The program at present is prototyped to accept only 40 bytes of input but this can be enhanced. Data can be passed ( 40 bytes ) to the txn from the tso-CICS interface program.
|
Q.
|
Assume that a txn is setup to run at intervals of say 20 mins. Can we set up CICS to start and run this txn at this 2O min interval between say only lO..00 am and ll:00am?
Also assume that while a task for this txn is still running, the interval of 20 min elapses. Will CICS now start another task now and run it as well?
|
A.
|
It is not possible to schedule a txn to run between two particular timings in CICS. Only the program has to check for that. Yes.
At the end of the given interval, a new task will be started irrespective of the state of the first task.
|
Q.
|
There are two programs involved (ie.) Program A and B. Program A calls program B, and program B reads an item (first item) from an extra partition TDQ, then returns to program A with the information. Now program A again calls program B, and program B reads an item from the same extra partition TDQ. Does the second TDQ read get the first item or second item from the original TDQ? If it is the second item, is there any way to keep the first item in original TDQ intact (preventing a delete on TDQ read) by manipulating some file pointer or by any means?
|
A.
|
The second read on the TDQ gets the second, record and not the first record. Every read on the TDQ( from the same program or a different program) will get the subsequent records from the TDQ. The read on extrapartition TDQ is not destructive. If you want to read from the beginning of the TDO then you have to close the TDQ and reopen it again.
|
Q.
|
Can a CICS program find out if one or more tasks of txn are running or not?
|
A.
|
In CICS ver 3.2.1, there is a exec CICS inquire task' command which can be used to find out if a particular task is running in the system. A list of all the tasks that are running in the system can also be got from the 'exec CICS inquire tasklist' command.
|
Q.
|
A txn reads an entry in an intra-partition TDQ (which has been defined as recoverable to CICS), but it abends before doing an exec CICS syn cpoint If the txn comes up later, will the same entry be available for processing?
|
A.
|
Yes. The record will be recovered and will be available for further processing. For the intra partition TDQs defined as logically recoverable, all the records that are read after the last sync point will be recoverable.
|
Q.
|
Suppose there are multiple concurrent writers onto a TDQ with ATI (hence 1 reader). Each writer will write a differing number of entries onto the TDQ before doing a syncpoint In this scenario, will there be any contention (on the TDQ?).
|
A.
|
If the TDQ is intrapartition queue and if it is defined as logically recoverable, then ail writes/ reads to the queue will be serialised, forth at logical unit of work (LUW). If task a writes onto the queue and if task B needs to write onto the same TDQ, then task B will go into a wait state because the queue is held under exclusive control by task A. After task A does a syncpoint or end of task A, task B will get control of the queue. During the same time if task C needs to read the TDQ, task C can read all records not part of the current logical unit of work (LUW). Task C will go into a wait state if it tries to read the records belonging to the current LUW of task A.
|
Q.
|
IS it Possible to submit a TSO batch job from CICS? If so, how?
|
A.
|
Yes. It is Possible to submit batch jobs from CICS. Write Your JCL.(80 byte ici records) to an extrapartition TDQ. The last JCL record should be 1*e of once the last record is written the batch job will be submitted. Use enqueue & dequeue facility when writing on the TDO to serialize the writes to the queue.
|
Q.
|
What is the size Of the largest record that can be written to a temporary Storage queue?
|
A.
|
Length being a signed half word binary value, the theoretical limit is 32767. However, you cannot use more than 32763. The following points are relevant: ISM does not advise using anything more than 24kb. The CISIZE of the TSO dataset defined at this installation. Any record that is larger than this is going to be spread across control intervals, and so the performance is going to suffer.
|
Q.
|
Are TD0s and TSQ recoverable resources? What happens to them when a transaction abends?
|
A.
|
lntrapartition TDQs and auxiliary TSQs are recoverable in CICS. The DESTRCV option in the DCT entry of the intrapartition TDQ should be specified as logically recoverable (LG) or physically recoverable (PH) denoting logical or physical recovery. Similarly, for a TSO to be recoverable, a TST (temporary storage table) entry should be made. When a transaction abends for which dynamic transaction back out is specified, TD0s and TS0s which have been identified as recoverable will be backed out. However, only logically recoverable intrapartition destinations will be restored by DTB. Extrapartition queues can not be recovered. Similarly, DTB recovers temporary storage data written to or released from auxiliary storage. It does not recover temporary storage data in main storage.
|
Q.
|
Explain the terms reusability and reentrancy.
|
A.
|
Reusability of a module denotes the usage of the same copy of the loaded program in the virtual storage by more than one task either concurrently or one at a time. This is specified by the attributes 'reentrant' and 'serially reusable' (through the linkage editor options rent and reuse respectively). A 're-entrable module' can be executed by more than one task at a time (i.e. Concurrently).
This type of module cannot be modified by itself or by any other module during execution. 'Serially reusable' module can be executed by only one task at a time. This type of module must initialize itself and/or restore any instructions or data in the load module altered during execution. A'reentrable' module also becomes a 'serially reusable' module. Just by setting these attributes does not make the module really reentrable or reusable. It is the programmer's/compiler's responsibility to write/generate such code.
|
Q.
|
What do you mean by asynchronous Processing?
|
A.
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Asynchronous Processing allows a CICS application program in a local system to initiate a remote transaction(s) which are owned by the remote system.
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Q.
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What is Transaction Routing?
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A.
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Transaction routing facility allows the terminal connected to a local system to run remote transactions which are owned by a remote CICS system in the remote CICS system.
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Q.
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What is a relay program?
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A.
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The relay program is a CICS supplied program for administrating Transaction routing and it he TDQ is intrapartition queue and if it is defined as logically recoverable, then ail writes/ reads to the queue will be serialised, forth at logical unit of work (LUW). If task a writes onto the queue and if task B needs to write onto the same TDQ, then task B will go into a wait state because of the queue
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Q.
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What do you mean by Distributed Transaction Processing?
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A.
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The DTP facility allows a CICS application program in one CICS system to perform asynchronous communication with another program in another system.
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Q.
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What are mirror transactions?
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A.
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They are transaction supplied by CICS for administration Function request shipping and they reside in the remote system. When the remote receives a "unction request shipped by the local system, it initiates a corresponding mirror transaction for the function requested. The mirror transaction decodes the function request and issues the actual CICS Command.
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Q.
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What are the remote system resources that are available to the local system?
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A.
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The resources available are VSAM files, DUI databases, TDQs and TSQS.
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Q.
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What do you mean by Extended Recovery Facility (XRF) ?
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A.
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XRF is an advanced CICS recovery facility where two computer systems, the CICS system in one processor or computer runs the actual transactions the @.ICS system in the other system monitors the transactions run by in the first system. In the case of the system failure of the first system, the second or stand-by system takes over and resumes the operations. This is a very costly process because of the duplication of the hardware and software and could be used only for very large and complex applications where every half an hours delay is critical.
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Q.
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What is SAA?
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A.
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Systems Applications Architecture (SAA) is a set of interfaces, conventions and protocols in order to establish an enhanced level of consistency, portability and connectivity of data, applications and communications in a multi-system environment.
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Q.
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What are the 3 ways in which the CICS system can be started?
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A.
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Warm, cold and emergency start.
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Q.
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What is a warm start?
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A.
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In the warm start the CICS will start itself with certain. system information and resources carried over from the previous CICS execution, which has been completed normally.
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Q.
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What is the cold start?
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A.
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In cold start, CICS system control tables will be completely initialised irrespective of the previous system activities and CICS will start with the cleanest resources.
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Q.
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What is the CICS emergency start?
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A.
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If the previous CICS execution was terminated abnormally an emergency system restart will take place. This will reposition the system log at the very last second before termination and read the system log backwards and will copy the log records of all the inflight tasks into the recovery dataset.
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Q.
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What are the inflight tasks?
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A.
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In-flight tasks are those tasks that were running while the system abends
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Q.
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What is the function of the Journal Control Table (JCT)?
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A.
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To register the control information of the system log and journal files. The CICS Journal Control Program (JCP) uses this table for identifying the system log and journal files for performing automatic logging and journaling.
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Q.
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How can an application program write its own journal?
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A.
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By using the CICS journal command, which will write the user-defined journal record into the journal file. This is called explicit journaling.
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Q.
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What is automatic journaling?
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A.
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The CICS Journal Control program will write the recovery information for a recoverable resource into a journal file automatically for facilitating the recovery. This process is called automatic journaling. For this, the journal file must be identified by a journal identifier and must be defined to the Journal Control Table.
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Q.
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What is meant by Dynamic transaction back out?
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A.
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In the case of a transaction ABEND, CICS automatically recovers all the recoverable resources using the information in the special data pool called dynamic log. This process is called Dynamic Transaction Backout and is managed by the CICS Dynamic transaction Backout Prograf.
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Q.
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What is the primary function of the Sign-on Table (SNT)?
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A.
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To register the security information of all CICS users. In order to use the CICS system, one should be registered in the SNT.
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Q.
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How can a transaction be initiated at a scheduled time?
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A.
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By using the START command with the TIME option and also the program must be registered in the Program List Table(PLT).
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Q.
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What is the function of the CANCEL Command?
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A.
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The CANCEL command is used to cancel the interval control commands such as DELAY, POST, START, etc., which have been issued.
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Q.
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What is the function of the SUSPEND Command?
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A.
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To suspend a task and give control to tasks with higher priority and after executing the higher priority tasks the control will be returned to the suspended tasks.
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