VSAM Interview Questions : Part 4

VSAM Questions for Beginners and Intermediate Level.

1. Can you describe the process how are records stored in an ESDS, entry sequenced data-set in VSAM?
2. Explain what do you mean by CI, control interval?
3. Explain what is free space in VSAM?
4. Is it necessary that primary key values have to be unique? Do alternate key values have to be unique in VSAM?
5. In the COBOL SELECT statement, what is the ORGANIZATION for a KSDS?
6. What is a path in VSAM?
7. What is the upgrade set?
8. In the COBOL SELECT statement for a KSDS what are the three possibilities for ACCESS in VSAM?
9. Explain what is the purpose of the FILE STATUS clause in the SELECT statement in VSAM?
10. If there is a need to use the REWRITE command haw must the VSAM file be opened?
11. Explain the meaning and syntax for the START command.
12. What is the utility program closely associated with VSAM?
13. Can you explain in detail the seven IDCAMS commands?
14. What do you mean by a catalog in VSAM?
15. What is RECOVERY and SPEED parameters in DEFINE CLUSTER command ?
16. Can you describe the SHAREOPTIONS parameter (SHR) in Define Cluster command in VSAM.
17. Explain what is an alternate index? Provide Examples.
18. What is a LDS (Linear Data Set ) and what is it used for in VSAM?
19. Explain what do you mean by a cluster?
20. What are the three levels of definition for the VSAM DEFINE?
21. Explain what is the significance of the SHAREOPTIONS parameter in VSAM?
22. What is the meaning of the DEFINE MODEL parameter?
23. What is File Status in VSAM ?
24. Under IDCAMS, multiple functions can be executed, each of which returns a condition code. What will be the condition code returned to the operating system ?
25. Explain what is Control Interval, Control Area in VSAM?
26. What is FREESPACE ?
27. Describe the process of defining an ALTINDX ? How do you use ALTINDXs in batch, CICS program's ?
28. What happens when you open an empty VSAM file in a COBOL program for input ?
29. How do you initialize a VSAM file before any operation?
30. Explain what is the meaning of each of the values in SHAREOPTS (2 3) in VSAM?
31. Can you describe the process of calculating record size of an alternate cluster ? Please also provide values for both unique and non-unique.
32. Explain what is the difference between sequential files and ESDS files in VSAM?
33. Explain in brief how can you load a VSAM data set with records ?
34. Describe the process of defining a GDG in VSAM?
35. What is the device independent method to indicate where a Record is Stored ?
36. How many times secondary space allocated in VSAM?
37. How can you define a kSDS in VSAM?
38. What does a file status of 02 on a VSAM indicate ?
39. During processing of a VSAM file, some system error occurs and it is subsequently madeunusable. What do you do in VSAM?
40. How do you fix the problem associated with VSAM out of space condition ?
41. What is the meaning of VSAM RETURN-CODE 28 ?
42. On which dataset You can have ALT INDEX ?
43. What is IDCAMS ? and what is the purpose of it ?
44. Explain how do you delete a member using JCL.
45. Explain what is the difference between LDS and ESDS in VSAM?
46. Is a delete operation possible in an ESDS? Also, is rewrite operation possible in ESDS  in VSAM?
47. What is the RRN for the first record in RRDS ?
48. How many Alternate Indexes you can have on a data-set in VSAM?
49. Explain what are the optional parameters to the input data-set while loading the empty cluster with the data records ?
50. Explain what is a Base Cluster in VSAM?

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