Question 1

What is a DB2 plan?

Accepted Answer

An application plan or package is generated by the bind to define an access path

Question 2

What is a DB2 bind?

Accepted Answer

A DB2 bind is a process that builds an access path to DB2 tables

Question 3

How will u send data from a cobol file to db2 table?

Accepted Answer

USING HOST VARIABLE we can pass data from COBOL to DB2

Question 4

What is meant by index cardinality?

Accepted Answer

The number of distinct values for a column is called index cardinality DB2's RUNSTATS utility analyzes column value redundancy to determine whether to use a tablespace or index scan to search for data

Question 5

Why SELECT * is not preferred in embedded SQL programs?

Accepted Answer

- If the table structure is changed ( a field is added ), the program will have to be modified - Program might retrieve the columns which it might not use, leading on I/O over head - The chance of an index only scan is lost

Question 6

When does the SQL statement gets executed when you use cursor in the application programming?

Accepted Answer

SQL statement gets executed when we open cursor

Question 7

What is QUIESCE?

Accepted Answer

A QUIESCE flushes all DB2 buffers on to the disk This gives a correct snapshot of the database and should be used before and after any IMAGECOPY to maintain consistency

Question 8

In terms of DB2 indexing, what is the root page?

Accepted Answer

The simplest DB2 index is the B-tree and the B-tree's top page is called the root page The root page entries represent the upper range limits of the index and are referenced first in a search

Question 9

In a DB2-CICS program which acts as co-ordinator and which is the participant?

Accepted Answer

DB2 acts as the participant and CICS acts as a co-ordinator

Question 10

What is CICS?

Accepted Answer

Customer Information Control System (CICS) is an online transaction processing monitor from IBM that acts as an interface between the operating system and application programs to provide rapid high-volume online transaction processing

Question 11

What CICS command are used to read a VSAM KSDS sequentially in ascending order?

Accepted Answer

READNEXT reads the next record from a browse operation for any of the three VSAM files

Question 12

What happens when a CICS command contains the NOHANDLE option?

Accepted Answer

- NOHANDLE is an option that can be specified along with abnormal condition during program execution - When the exception occurs, no action is performed during execution of NOHANDLE command - The abnormal condition is ignored, even the EXEC CICS HANDLE condition exist - The abnormal condition is also ignored when EXEC CICS IGNORE condition is tested - The previous HANDLE CONDITION for other commands will not be effected with NOHANDLE option

Question 13

What are different ways of Initiating Transaction in CICS?

Accepted Answer

The following are the ways of initiating a CICS transaction 1 By entering Transaction Id 2 By Start command 3 By Return Trans Id (as in pseudo - conversation) 4 By Registering Tran ID in plt so that it will be automaticaly dusring CICS start 5 By ATI (Automatic task initiation) 6PF & PA keys as defined in PCT

Question 14

What are the CICS commands available for program control?

Accepted Answer

The following commands are available for the Program Control services: LINK: To pass control to another program at the lower level, expecting to be returned XCTL: To pass control to another program at the same level, not expecting to be returned RETURN: To return to the next higher-level program or CICS LOAD: To load a program RELEASE: To release a program

Question 15

What is the difference between the INTO and the SET option in the EXEC CICS RECEIVE MAP command?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

What is the function of the CICS translator?

Accepted Answer

The CICS translator converts the EXEC CICS commands into call statements for a specific programming language There are CICS translators for Assembler, COBOL, and PL/1

Question 17

Explain the difference among the EXEC LINK, EXEC XCTL and Cobol II static call statements in CICS?

Accepted Answer

- Use a COBOL II CALL statement to invoke a subprogram This method is transparent to CICS, which sees only the one load module - EXEC LINK is similar to a call; it invokes a separate CICS program and ends with a RETURN to the invoking program - EXEC XCTL which transfers control to another CICS program and does not get control back COBOL II allows for static calls which are more efficient than the LINK instruction which establishes a new run-unit

Question 18

What is the difference between the enter key, the PF keys and the PA keys?

Accepted Answer

The enter and PF keys transmit data from the screen; the PA keys tell CICS that a terminal action took place, but data is not transmitted

Question 19

Explain how to handle exceptional conditions in CICS?

Accepted Answer

An abnormal situation during execution of a CICS command is called an exceptional condition: 1 Handle Condition Command: It is used to transfer control to the procedure label specified if the exceptional condition specified occurs 2 Ignore Condition Command: It causes no action to be taken if the condition specified occurs in the program That is control will be returned to the next instruction following the command which encountered the exceptional condition 3 No Handle Option: This option can be specified in any CICS command and it will cause no action to be taken for any exceptional condition occurring during execution of this command 4 RESP Option: This option can be specified in any CICS command If the RESP option is specified in a command, CICS places a response code at a completion of the command The application program can check this code, then proceed to the next processing

Question 20

How would you resolve an ASRA abend?

Accepted Answer

In COBOL II start with CEBR, and get the offset/instruction

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