MAINFRAME

DAY-2
Mainframe means something big or heavy which helps us to carry out our day to day transactions
efficiently with data privacy and security which are the most important things for processing any
online transactions. These transactions may be Banking, Hotel/ Transport bookings, Retail,
Online shopping etc.

Mainframe mainly has two processes:

1. Batch Job: These are basically processed overnight the reason for this is that a large number of
transactions take place during day time so the traffic is very high. So any problem that has
occurred is analyzed and resolved during day and processed during night. These are back-end /
back-off jobs. It uses COBOL. In this process we should always assume a third person and do
the work. We shouldn’t assume ourselves for resolving the problems.

2. Online Transactions: These are processed during day time. Here each ID is dealt differently.
For example : If we consider Vizag has 95 SBI ATM branches and two persons access two
different ATMs at different locations at the same time then the system should process both the
transactions at the same and there should not be any delay or inconvenience for the customer. It
is also possible for all the 95 transactions to take place at the same time without any delay. This
is possible through Online Transactions. It uses COBOL framework + CICS.

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is an agreement between the company and the client to
complete the work within time or there will be some kind of compensation. It consists of the
period in which the problems have to be resolved.

DATA SETS

The details/information of the customer/employee is stored in the form of data sets. So a data set
is basically DATA. Example: EmpId, EmpName etc.

There are three types of Data types in z/OS:

1.Sequential Dataset:

The term itself coveys that it is a sequence implying one after another. It’s for both input and
output. It is a one particular file that contains some particular data.

Example: JALA05.PS.EMPDATA this is a physical name. Here this name consists of 3 nodes
that are (i) JALA05 (ii) PS (iii) EMPDATA.

Each node is separated by a dot.

The employee data can in the form shown below where each horizontal line is said to be a
Record.

EMP_ID EMP_NAME EMP_PROJ EMP_LOC

516453 ALEX UBS VIZAG  A Record

516454 BOB UBS VIZAG

There can be a number of records. As we can see here we have two records. They can only be
processed one after another in a sequenced order and this order cannot be changed.

2.Partitioned Dataset

A folder/directory can be considered as a partitioned dataset. It in-turn consists of Members. If

we consider a folder it may consist data of different formats like ppt, pdf, jpg etc a partitioned
dataset can also be considered as such.

Example:

1st Member - JALA05.PDS.COBPGM

2nd Member – some short name like JALA05.PDS.JOB – which is a COBOL program
3rd Member – JCLS – a job library
The other members can be some Queries, CICS etc.
3.VSAM:

As in the case of Sequential dataset this can also be used for both input and output. It is denoted
as given in the following example: JALA05.VSAM.EMPDATA.Here the arrangement is
different. There are 4 types : (i) ESDS (iii) KSDS

(ii) RRDS (iv) LDS

ESDS – Entry sequenced Data set and its much similar to PS

RRDS – Relative Record Dataset and it has a particular number through which it can be accessed
like the serial numbers that we give in a table can be considered as an example.

KSDS – Key Sequenced Dataset which consists of a key and depending on the key it can jump
the sequence of processing hence its quick and efficient.

LDS – Linear Data set. Here the data is present as chunks.

The same Datasets can also be written in Technical terms as :

1.PS: It means Physical Sequential. It consists of the data itself.

Here, The order of writing/loading = order of saving = order of access

Example: 10982 ALEX SYS GOA  Record1

10983 BOB SYS GOA  record2

Here the record two can only be entered after entering the record one. Similarly, The Record2
can only be accessed after Record1. So it happens one after another as stated before.

It follows the format as <ID>.EMPIN.PS Here the ID should be the users Mainframe ID in the
place of EMPIN we should write a unique and meaning full name which indicates the dataset.

2.PDS: It means Partitioned dataset.<ID>.EMPIN.PS  MEMBER1, MEMBER2,….. These

contents can be COBOL, JCL etc

3.VSAM: Which is already explained above.