PR301 MF Sample questions – 1st SET

CICS:

1) Business transaction Service (BTS) is

a) Self contained business deal

b) Has multiple actions
c) is always short lived

Ans : a & b

2) one question like state true or false for pseudo conversation & BTS ..refr page
no: 14 in CICS material

3) Control flow of states of BTS activity. Mark false one

a) Initial -> Active -> Complete

b) Initial -> complete
c) Initial – Dormant – Active – complete
d) Initial – Dormant – complete
Ans : b

4) CHECK ACTIVITY does

Ans; Checks completion status

5) LINK ACQPROCESS does

Ans: Execute a CICS BTS process
Synchronously

6) Bridge exit program resides on

Ans: Server side (I marked, not sure..just check) options were client side, server
side, both

7) COMMAREA can be used with BTS

a) separately, if appl does not need 32kb. Or
b) COMMAREA can also be used with BTS application, if it does not have
32K size restriction.
Ans: b

8) Current Channel
Ans: ASSIGN command

9) Replace a COMMAREA using a channel

with a ------- container. While this may seem the simplest
way to move from COMMAREAs to channels and
containers, it is not a good practice to do this
Ans: One
 Advanced JCl:

1) Retrieve a tape dataset i.e not catalogued.

//OLD DD DSN=ENR.88888.******,DISP=OLD,UNIT=TAPE,VOL=some num

2) /*JOBPARM is placed
Ans: After JOB statement

3) Syntax for OUTPUT statement with default option

Ans: //OUT1 OUTPUT DEFAULT=YES

4) In IEBPTPCH, print statement, prints

Ans: Input files in group of 8chars

5) Utility that creates sequential files that contains data extracted frm other
files:
Ans: IEBDG

6) Invalid FORMAT parameter in FD statement of IEBDG. ANs: NU

7) NUMBER statement tells IEBUPDATE to insert sequence numbers in columns
Ans: 73 to 80

8) One question on proper syntax of MERGE utility

DB2/ Database Tuning:

1) Throughput is
Ans : Amount of work done / Amount of time

2) One of the criteria for good table design.

Ans: Define the same length and data type for join columns

3) Couple of Questions on variable length columns. Just remember below given

points.
 Keep together columns that are modified in the same process.
• Order VARCHAR columns by use frequency (most used first).
• Place variable length columns toward the end of the row to minimize the
retrieval cost.
• Place frequently updated columns, both fixed and variable, toward the end
of the row to minimize the size of the log record.

4) True or false…
a) When updating a
VARCHAR column, DB2 logs from the first data byte modified until the end of
the row.
Ans : True
b) When updating a
 VARCHAR column, DB2 logs from the first data byte modified until the end of
the row.
Ans: If used without the ‘modified’ word , then false…

5) Normalization:
Ans: For frequent updates
6) De-normalization:
Ans: For mostly queried database

7) Go thru page num – 42 in DB2 tuning(some true n false ques were given on this)

8) Derived columns are not used for:

a) Calculations are complex.

b) You cannot calculate the derived values by SQL.
c) to store summarized data
d) for functions like AVG, SUM etc
Ans: d

9) One question on PCTFREE=0, refer page num 62 in DB2 tuning

10) One question: true or false on External & SQL stored procedure types like
Program logic part of definition etc types.

11) DB2 searches the --------------------- catalog table

using the procedure name and, after verifying authorizations and parameters
definitions, retrieves the collection ID
Ans; SYSIBM.SYSROUTINES

11) PARAMETER STYLE DB2SQL contains

ANs: SQLSTATE, Qualified and specific name of the Stored procedure and SQL
diagnostic string

12) One question on handling Result sets in SP

13) Denormalization is

Ans: Denormalization is process of taking small tables and combining them

together into fewer, larger tables in order to reduce I/O and joining effort.

14) Index criteria

– The keys which are frequently used in the WHERE* clause

– The keys which are being used for joining relations
- The keys which have mostly unique values

15) Different types of queries:

a) point, partial, range queries

16) Impact of using index in OLTP appl

Ans: Degrades permonance, due to lots of inserts, updates etc

17) Log file

a) Writes sequentially
b) Writes randomly
c) Has redo & undo info
Ans: a & c

18) Question on Lock Contention

Ans: Make your transactions short

MQ Series:

1 Message Descriptor has -------------- , that should be always sent when a message
is sent
Ans: Priority

3) Message has application data first and then a trailer

Ans: false

4) Question on Persistent/non-persistent messages

5) Choose MQ objects in a list given

6) If message is not delivered, then it goes to

Ans: Dead letter queue

7) Triggering process components

a) Application queue
b) Initiation queue
c) Transmision queue
d) Reply-to-queue
Ans: d

8) MQI channel is Ans: Bidirectional

9) Work load balancing can be implemented by

a) Triggering
b) Clustering
Ans: b

10) Components of MQ series:

a) Calls
b) Structures
c) Elementary data types
d) All of the above
Ans:d
11) Choose a minor call out of the calls given (3 major calls n one minor call was
listed)
12) One common parameter that all the MQ calls return
Ans: Completion code

13) When we define transmission queue, we need to specify -------------- in USAGE

parameter
Ans: XMITQ
PR301 MF Sample questions – 2nd SET

1. VTOC used for : disk & HDRn for: tape

2. Values required for retrieval of data: Name/unit/volume/space/DCB
3. q on usage of (NEW,CATLG)
4. q on jes2 & jes3 definition: which is true kind
5. which is the correct option:
a. jes2 override jes2
b. can be codedd in catalog proc
c. can be coded in in-stream
ans: a
6. which is the statement used To code operator’s command in a job : COMMAND
statement
7. which is false about gdg:
a. all gdg has same name
b. gdg can reside on tape
c. gdg need not be catloged
ans: c
8. q on sort & merge( dont remember completely)
ans is: position,lenght,format,sequence
9. what are the incorrect values of FD in IEBDG:
a. nu
b. zd
c. pd
d. co
ans: a
10. which position NUMBER updates in IEBUPDATE utility: columns 73 to 80
11. IDCAMS is used for:
a. define cluster
dont remember b,c,d options
ans: a
12. questions on STEPLIB & JOBLIB: one of the question ans is: setplib will override
joblib( crap questions for PA )
13. question on usage of jobcat DD statement.. option were very confusing... dont
even remember what it was & what i gave
14. hell lot of WHICH IS TRUE question's on CICS BTS definitions:
few of the ans i gave was: bts is short lived /donot involve multiple activities (btb i
got 100% in CICS )
15. BTS is sysplex ebabled: true
16. some crap WHICH IS TRUE question on root activity: ans was every process has only
one root activity.
17. question on channel & container definition
18. question on STATES OF BTS ACTIVITY diagram on page 19 in cics
19. question on definition of: CHECK ACQPROCESS,INQUIRE PROCESS,LINK ACQPROCESS
20. which command is used to move subset of data in channel(dont remember q
clearly, but remember word subset): move container
21: force timer: Force an early expire of timer
22: question on how to over come the size restrictions of commarea:
-Using the FLENGTH option of the GETMAIN command to acquire a storage area and
passing the address of the large storage area in the COMMAREA.
– Using VSAM datasets or DB2 tables.
– Using TSQs or TDQs.
– Using Channels & Containers

23. read all the Best Practices in Design of Channels:: like

Use separate containers for input and output data

use multiple containers for large data
Do not create too many large containers

etc..etc

24. some definition questions on API

25. At what stage of project db2 tuning has to be done: all stages
26. true/false question on LARGE tables:

one of ans was: you have to horizontally split tables until they reach 1 TB: this is False
You must create them using LARGE keyword or the NUMPARTS : TRUE
Accessing only one table reduces the complexity of programming/Query: true
Parallelism of processes, utilities and queries is possible if you partition adequately:
true

27. date is example of compound column

28. true/false question on Variable Length Columns definition always choose below for
true:

– Place variable length columns toward the end of the row

– Place frequently updated columns, both fixed and variable,toward the end of the
row

30. true/false question on long columns

31. you should not use PCTFREE = 0: choose when REORG frequency option
32. create or alter commands for EXTERNAL Procedure & SQL Procedure, they will give
a list of proceduers & ask which is for which type
33. true/false question on definition of result sets:

one of the ans was: Issue one ALLOCATE CURSOR statement for each result set
returned by the stored procedure.

34. question some thing like: if you are using MQ series, whats type of
communicatrion: messaging
35. definition question on persistence message: recoverable
36. not type of queue: local/alias/trigger queue/dynamic queue
ans: dynamic queue
37. which is the template used for creating dynamic queue: model queue
38. if destination Q is not available, to which q a message wil be sent: dead letter
queue
39. what queue is used for defining application to be started by trigger monitor:
process definition
40. when Q depth becomes 0 to 1, to which trigger is sent: FIRST
41. MQI is bidirectionl: true
42. which q is used for work load balance: cluster q
43. question on major/minor calls : which is not the option of both : ans was DATA
44: choose the correct major/minor call from the given list: do remember all the types
45. which are the diff types of objects, they give few or all of the below options:

•Queue
•Queue Manager
•Namelist
•Process Definition
•Channels

46. choose correct options on definitions of completion code & reason code, choose
below:

Completion code gives the status of call whether it was successful or not & reason
code gives the details of the message

note : there was another option exactly same as above, but with return code..instead
of reason code

47: some question on MQCC codes

48: Throughput is = Amount of Work / Amount of Time
49: Row Chaining definition question
50: some confusing question on INDEX: one fo the ans was : increase the cost of insert
& update
51: they give example & ask what type of query it was: for me point
52: Bitmap index increases the efficency: true
53: hash index: less I/O
54: read the guidlines for creating indexes
55: question on momery contension: limited & expensive/ used by all transactions
56: whats lock escalation
57: why locaks are required
PR301 MF Sample questions – 3rd SET

Split Up 
CICS        - 10
Database  -  8
Db2          - 10
JCL          -  8
MQ series - 14 
 Db2 Questions
1. DATE is an example of which type of columns - Compound, derived, long?
2. Denormalization should be used for what kind of data base - OLTP or DSS?
3. Normalization should be used for frequently queried/updated?
4. Why is vertical split done? To reduce 32KB pages
5. Disadvantages of Vertical split -
6. Combining tables - choose the correct disadvantage
7. Hot spots - which one of the following - Portion of the table which is
continuously and repeatedly updated
8. Parameters of External stored procedure - which is not - options were Dynamic
result sets, Parameters style, DBNAme - The incorrect parameter is DBNAME. 
(The correct name is DBINFO)
9. What does PSQLDA contain? - contains number of result sets returned by the
stored procedure
10. Control from DB2 to stored procedure - which one does it? I marked it as WLM -
not sure which one?

JCL questions
1. How to make Non-vsam catalog structure point to a VSAM node? Using
STEPCAT and Integrated Catalog facility
2. /*ROUTE XEQ ... after this /*MESSAGE is coded - whats the output - I said JCL
error since ROUTE and XEQ are 2 separate JES2 statements
3. What does //*COMMAND operator do? Code operator's command in a job
4. Which parameter is used to delete datasets even when the retention period is
unexpired - PURGE/EMPTY/SCRATCH?
5. IEBPTCH - PRINT or PUNCH - if the parameter MAXDD is not coded, how
many groups of character are printed - 8/32/16/?
6. Utility used to create GDG - IDCAMS

Database questions
 
1. Formula for Throughput = Amount of transactions per unit time
2. Steps for tuning strategy - Gather info, Current considerations, Future
considerations,physical investigation,implementation - i marked incorrect option
as informing stake holders.... not sure
3. unit of transfer between memory and disk - block
4. When should index be used - colum which is used for join, used commonly in
WHERE clause, not in a column with few distinct values and mostly NULL
values
 5. Which type of index should be used for data warehousing/not updated frequently -
Bitmap
6. Which index should be used on columns which have few distinct values - Bitmap
7. How to acheive lock contention? MAke transactions short, use lock escalation,
avoid deadlock,s hold locks for short time...

Websphere MQ questions
1. What is transmission queue?
2. 2 parts to message put in a queue - correct answer is message descriptor followed
by application data
3. Persistent messages are stored in Non volatile storage (true/false)
4. When you need a system where some messages have to be accessed slowly and
some faster - how do we implement? Using priority is the answer
5. Temporary dynamic queues - which is an incorrect feature - Answer is it is
recoverable (Temporary dynamic queues are non-recoverable)
6. When the destination of the message is unknown, it is put in dead-letter
queue/transmission queue..
7. When trigger happens, what starts - queue manager is active, message is sent,
application starts? - Application program starts
8. Which is not an object - Process, queue, tablelist, namelist ,rules
9. Messages are triggered when? (all 3 types - EVERY, FIRST, DEPTH)
10. Which of the following is not a major call - MQPUT1,MQCLOSE, MQBEGIN -
MQBEGIn is the answer
11. Function of MQBEGIN

CICS questions
 
1. BTS supports SYSPLEX or not
2. Which is the correct flow? Active--> Complete or ACtive--> Dormat -->
complete, Active -->Dormat--> Active--> Complete???
3. which of the following is false about 3270 application from BTS? not terminal
related, supports COMMAREA etc.
4. Can BTS support 2 COMMAREA within the same transaction?
5. How can a channel be passed to a different program? Using LINK, XCTL and
START
6. How to pass subset of channel to subcomponents or move containers within
channels - Use MOVE CONTAINER command
7. Can COMMAREA pass more than 32KB data across a MRO Link?

PR301 MF Sample questions – 4th SET

Got 40/50 – 80%

DB tuning – 100%, JCL – 100%, CICS BTS – 90%, Web MQ – 71%, DB2 Tuning –
50%
So please recheck answers for CICS, MQ and DB2!!

1. Which of the following are features of MQ Series – Asynchronous processing,

MQI, Time dependent, Synchronous processing
2. Process Defn is a MQ obj that contains list of other MQ objecs …..
3. Hit ratio formulae
4. DB2 indexes not useful while dealing with – retrieval of sorted data, sequential
access of large quantity of data, access few rows, short term data
5. Database design strategy
6. Which if the foll is not an adv of QM clustering – increased availability of Queue
and application, increased avlblity of message queues on a failing QM, faster
throughput, even distribution of workload
7. stepcat overrides jobcat
8. Defn of row chaining
9. True/False – channel is deleted by CICS after it goes out of scope
10. Which is the Common param returned by all MQ calls – Connection handle, Obj
handle, Obj desc, Completion code
11. Use clustering for work load balancing
12. API which takes a process from Complete state to Initial state – Retrieve, Reset,
Define, Link
13. Reply to Queue
14. T/F – bridge exit pgm is a part of child activity
15. True about Jes 2 /*notify statemtn? – Jes2 /*notify overrides notify on job
statement, notify on job statement overrides jes2 /*notify, /*notify can be coded
in an instream proc, /*notify is placed afterjob stmnt
16. BTS Channel can contain how mnay no of containers – 255, 256, 1024, Any
17. After giving MQGET ..you do not get any response from the queue which has 20
messages..why? – depth of the queue is >20, Q is inhibited for MQGET, Msgs
havnt been committed by the sendng appln, None of the above
18. IEBDG ..format parameter …which of the foll is not valid –ans is NU
19. SP – WLM checks for WLMSPAS – what happens? ..options were ..If
WLMSPAS is absent …, if WLMSPAS is present – 2 options , All of the above
20. Which of the foll is false re handling of RS – don’t remember the options ..but the
ans that I checked was – SP must fetch rows from cursor and close cursor
21. Mechanism used to identify performance bottleneck in SQL stmnts
22. Advantages of SP – Access to features existing on server, Enforcement of
Business rule, Appln integration solutions, ALL of the abve
23. Which of the foll is not true abt prep and binding SP – linkedit using DSNALI,
precompile with NODYNAME, linkedit using DSNRLI for RRSAF, specify
AMODE(31) when linking
24. T/F – Persistent msgs survives failure & restarts on Qm
25. Valid Web MQ Obj types – local Q, Dynamic Q, Remote Q, Alias Q
26. Msg type held by temp dynamic Q – non-persistent
27. dead-letter-Q
28. What brings an activity to initial state – LINK, DEFINE, RESET & RUN
29. Which of the foll is correct to access an existing uncatalogued dataset – ans is the
longest option!!
30. Identify the correct ones for BTS – root activity can create only 1 child actvivity,
root activity controls synchronization and parameter passing, any number of
root activities can be present in an appln
31. Not a non-vsam DS orga – ESDS
32. What is true abt Jobcat DD stmt – used in SMS managed DS, unit & vol info
specified, used to define a private VSAm or integrated catalog …, placed
after job & before exec
33. JES 3 statement – COMMAND defn
34. which of the foll is false abt denormalization – Highly normalized best for
frequently updated, maintenance of de-norm tables is easier, denorm used for
freq queried tables, denorm improves perf by reducing number of DB access
35. commarea can be used in BTS : separately- even if appl requires > 32KB,
separately- even if appl requires < 32K (note it is 32K and not 32KB),
separately-by defining a container for commarea without size restriction
36. Which of the foll is available as data defn files or copybooks for MQ –
Elementary data types, MQI calls, Structures, ALL
37. MQBEGIN – defn
38. Model Q – used while creating Queues dynamically
39. Modify SQLdata is used to specify – all the 4 options were very long options –
didn’t know the answer for this
40. which is correct abt BTS – provides web support
41. T/F – BTS does not support sysplex
42. Which of the foll is not true abt denormalization (combining tables) –
maintenance of data is complex, queries use distinct …., online performace lost,
SQL functions (AVG, SUM) disabled
43. Impact on OLTP when there are too many indexes crated on a table with lots of
insert & delets
44. Strategy to reduce lock contention
45. Relation b/w record and DB block – the ans I checked was something like – 1 DB
block contains one or more records
46. IEBUpdate – Number parameter – ans is position 73 to 80
47. Advantages of combining tables
48. Container defn
49. Which of the following are Valid MQ Objects –

H a ha …finished the exam in 25 minutes and spent the next 35 minutes to jot down
these Qns!!