JCL Interview Questions and Answers

Ques 1. What is JCL?

JCL stands for Job Control Language. It is a scripting language used on IBM mainframe operating systems to instruct the system on how to run a batch job or start a subsystem.

Example:

//JOBNAME JOB ...,CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X

Ques 2. What is a DD statement in JCL?

DD (Data Definition) statement is used to define input and output datasets for a program or job step in JCL.

Example:

//INPUT DD DSN=INPUT.FILE,DISP=SHR

Ques 3. Explain the function of DISP parameter in JCL.

DISP (Disposition) parameter is used to specify what should happen to a dataset after the job step completes, such as DELETE, KEEP, or CATLG.

Example:

//OUTPUT DD DSN=OUTPUT.FILE,DISP=(NEW,CATLG,DELETE)

Ques 4. What is the purpose of the SYSOUT parameter in JCL?

SYSOUT is used to specify the destination for the system output produced by a job step, such as a printer or a dataset.

Example:

//STEP1 EXEC PGM=XYZ,SYSOUT=A

Ques 5. What is the significance of the NOTIFY parameter in JCL?

The NOTIFY parameter is used to specify the user who should receive job completion or error messages. It is used for notification purposes.

Example:

//JOBNAME JOB ...,NOTIFY=USERID

Ques 6. What is the purpose of the MSGLEVEL parameter in JCL?

The MSGLEVEL parameter is used to control the amount of system messages written to the job log. It can be set to options like (1,1), (1,2), (2,2), etc.

Example:

//JOBNAME JOB ...,MSGLEVEL=(1,2)

Ques 7. Explain the purpose of the EXEC statement in JCL.

The EXEC statement is used to specify the name of the program or procedure that is to be executed as part of a job step in JCL.

Example:

//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IEFBR14

Ques 8. Explain the significance of JOB and EXEC in JCL.

JOB defines the overall job and its characteristics, while EXEC defines a job step and the program or procedure to be executed within that step.

Example:

//JOBNAME JOB ...,CLASS=A,MSGCLASS=X
//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IEFBR14

Ques 9. What is a COND parameter in JCL?

COND is a parameter used to conditionally execute a job step based on the completion status of a previous step.

Example:

//STEP2 EXEC PGM=XYZ,COND=(4,LT)

Ques 10. Explain the meaning of IDCAMS in JCL.

IDCAMS (Integrated Database Management System) is a utility used in JCL for managing datasets, including creating, deleting, and altering datasets.

Example:

//STEP1 EXEC PGM=IDCAMS

Ques 11. What is the purpose of the TIME parameter in JCL?

The TIME parameter is used to specify the maximum amount of CPU time allocated to a job step. If the time limit is exceeded, the step is terminated.

Example:

//STEP1 EXEC PGM=XYZ,TIME=5

Ques 12. Explain the function of the REGION parameter in JCL.

The REGION parameter is used to specify the amount of virtual storage (memory) allocated to a job step. It helps prevent storage-related errors.

Example:

//STEP2 EXEC PGM=ABC,REGION=4M

Ques 13. Explain the difference between JCL and JES.

JCL (Job Control Language) is a scripting language used to define and control jobs, while JES (Job Entry Subsystem) is the component responsible for managing the execution of jobs on an IBM mainframe.

Ques 14. What is the significance of the CONDCODE parameter in JCL?

The CONDCODE parameter is used to specify a return code for a job step. It allows for conditional execution based on the specified return code.

Example:

//STEP4 EXEC PGM=GHI,CONDCODE=8

Ques 15. How do you specify a positional parameter in a JCL procedure?

A positional parameter in a JCL procedure is specified using an ampersand (&) followed by the parameter number, such as &1, &2, etc.

Example:

//PROC1 PROC PARAM1=&1, PARAM2=&2

Ques 16. What is a symbolic parameter in JCL?

A symbolic parameter in JCL is a placeholder used to represent a value that will be substituted at runtime. It is defined using a symbolic parameter or symbol.

Example:

//SYSIN DD *,VAR1=VALUE
DELETE DATASET('&VAR1')

Ques 17. How can you specify multiple conditions for the COND parameter in JCL?

Multiple conditions for the COND parameter can be specified using logical operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.

Example:

//STEP2 EXEC PGM=ABC,COND=((4,LT),(2,EQ,3))

Ques 18. How do you override a cataloged procedure in JCL?

To override a cataloged procedure, you can use the PROC parameter in the EXEC statement, providing the necessary parameter values.

Example:

//STEP1 EXEC PROC=MYPROC,REGION=2M

Ques 19. What is the meaning of the COND parameter value 'EVEN' in JCL?

The COND parameter value 'EVEN' is used to conditionally execute a job step only if the return code of the previous step is an even number.

Example:

//STEP3 EXEC PGM=DEF,COND=(EVEN)

Ques 20. Explain the function of the SPACE parameter in JCL.

The SPACE parameter is used to specify the amount of space allocated for a dataset. It includes primary, secondary, and directory space values.

Example:

//OUTPUT DD DSN=OUT.FILE,SPACE=(CYL,(10,5),RLSE)