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Mainframe Testing Questions

Mainframe testing involves testing batch and online applications on mainframe systems. Batch testing focuses on backend processes like running JCLs and validating files and databases, while online testing focuses on the frontend user interface. Key things to test in batch applications include JCLs and their outputs, while for online applications the focus is on entering data and checking the application response. Schedulers are used to schedule jobs based on time or dependencies. Fixed length files have uniform record sizes while variable length files allow different sized records. JCL is the job control language used to describe units of work on mainframe systems.

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Neo Smith
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196 views

Mainframe Testing Questions

Mainframe testing involves testing batch and online applications on mainframe systems. Batch testing focuses on backend processes like running JCLs and validating files and databases, while online testing focuses on the frontend user interface. Key things to test in batch applications include JCLs and their outputs, while for online applications the focus is on entering data and checking the application response. Schedulers are used to schedule jobs based on time or dependencies. Fixed length files have uniform record sizes while variable length files allow different sized records. JCL is the job control language used to describe units of work on mainframe systems.

Uploaded by

Neo Smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1. What is mainframe Testing?

—> Testing mainframe based application is nothing but mainframe testing. Process wise it is not
different than other types of testing but the difference is of technology. Mainframe testing
covers batch testing and online testing.

2. Difference between mainframe testing and manual testing?

—> Process wise it is not different than other types of testing but the difference is of technology.
In other manual testing we do testing on let us say web application or any desktop application
having GUI. But in case of mainframe application, there is no GUI, all you can see is blue screens
that can be a mainframe host for batch testing or it can be CICS Screens for online testing.

3. What and all can be tested under mainframe testing?

—> It has huge scope. This depends on your project & requirement, But at high level, you can do
batch testing and online testing. In batch testing, you can run jcl, validate files, validate
databases etc. where as in case of online testing, noting about back-end, all is you need to work
on front end. where you can enter some values & check for response based on system. Online
system is real-time systems.

4. what is difference between batch testing and online testing?

—> In batch testing, It is purely back-end testing. you can run jcl, validate files, validate
databases etc. where as in case of online testing, noting about back-end, all is you need to work
on front end. where you can enter some values & check for response based on system. Online
system is real-time systems.

5. What to test in mainframe batch application testing?

—> Again this is having huge scope and is application to application dependent. In general, batch
processing is dealing with JCL, you need to run JCL & check for output files / tables or front end
screens. Batch processing is mainly used to process huge volume of data at a time. ex – Interest
calculation in bank on month end.

6. What to test under mainframe online application Testing?


—> In case of online application testing, you need not to deal with back-end. Just in front-end,
you need to enter data & check for application response (just as like web application) Example –
Account opening system in bank

7. What is scheduler? have you used it anytime?

—> As the name suggest, it is used to schedule the jobs based on certain condition. The
condition could be time & day specific or can be dependency with some other job. Various
scheduler available in mainframe are – CA7, OPC. It also do continuously automatic monitoring
of jobs and completion notification

8. what is difference between fixed length file and variable length file?

—>In Fixed length file,

1.Every record in the file has exactly same size (in byte)

2.It take huge memory.

3.Access become fast.

4.Computer knows exact location of records so easy access.

5.slow in transferring the records it has large size.

In Variable length file,

1.Different record in the file have different size.

2.It take least memory.

3.access become slow.

4.computer does not know exact location of record so slow access.

5.fast transferring as it is small in size.

9. What is JCL?

—> JCL is a Job Control Language used to describe a UoW (Unit of Work) on a mainframe
computer (O/S 390, Z/OS etc . . . ). In case of JCL, everything works in background. However the
operating system manages interactive (foreground) user requests that initiate units of work. In
general, foreground work is given priority over background work.

10. What is jobcard in jcl?

—> First statement in any JCL is nothing but JOB CARD. It is used to identify job or unit of work
(UoW) for mainframe operating system to perform. Only one jobcard is allowed per job. it starts
with //.

example – //job-name JOB jab-card-parameters

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