Explore how to use SDSF filter and sort commands to locate and analyze jobs by attributes such as status, priority, class, and condition codes, improving debugging and job management.

Explore the essentials of job control language, including JCL concepts, DCL, and key parameters. Learn to create and manage datasets, automate batch and online COBOL programs, and execute them.

Explore how to use mainframe JCL to run third-party and IBM default programs, and to submit batch jobs that transfer large data between datasets, test COBOL programs, and generate reports.

Learn how to prepare JCL by defining job level, exec level, and dataset statements, using job cards, job names, accounting, and keyword and positional parameters for jobs on the mainframe.

learn how to identify jcl by its three sections—job, exec, and dd data set—recognizing the job name, accounting info, steps, and end markers with //.

Explore how positional parameters work at the job and exec levels in mainframe jcl, including mandatory accounting information, program names, and passing dates or boolean indicators.

Explore keyword parameters used at the job level in mainframe JCL, including how exec level and delivered jobs utilize message class, message level, priority, notify, and typewrite.

Explore keyword parameters with class in mainframe JCL, using job level classification to assign environments such as test, development, model, and production based on CPU time.

Master the msgclass keyword parameter, directing diagnostic messages to a destination such as a spool or printer. Submit a job to view messages and assess success or failure.

Explore the MSGLEVEL keyword parameter that controls the volume of job messages and their status. Learn how 0-1-0 and 1-1 termination types, defaults, and activity-related messages help identify errors.

Learn how to set job priority in mainframe jcl using the keyword parameter prty to prioritize jobs. Choose a 0–14 range and apply high priority in production to speed tasks.

Explore the notify keyword parameter in mainframe JCL and learn how to specify a user ID to receive a job status notification, including return codes 0, 4, or 8.

Explore keyword parameters in mainframe jcl with typrun, including class, message level, and notify options. Learn practical guidance on routing messages, job submission, and scanning datasets for errors.

Learn how to document and structure mainframe jcl with job card parameters, keyword parameters, and comments; identify steps, datasets, and executing a COBOL program.

Explore how to write and validate mainframe JCL by using a type keyword parameter to scan your job for syntax and semantic errors.

Discover how to use the exec statement in mainframe JCL to define steps, copy datasets, and run user-defined or system programs with clear examples across up to 255 steps.

Learn how the dd statement defines data, creates datasets, and manages inputs and outputs in mainframe jcl, including keyword parameters like dcb and record format.

Explain the dd statement with DSN, focusing on keyword and positional parameters, including program=, and DSN filename rules: max 44 chars, must start with a letter, and eight-byte qualifiers.

Learn how dd statements use space attributes to allocate auxiliary storage across tracks, blocks, bytes, and cylinders, distinguishing primary and secondary memory for directory block and batch processing.

Explore how Rlse releases unused storage when creating a data set and how the Dcb parameter defines dataset attributes such as dataset organization, record format, and block size.

Explore the dd statement with disp by detailing status, normal and abnormal dispositions, and how to create, catalog, or delete datasets on a mainframe.

Create a temporary file in mainframe jcl and grasp its batch job scope. Learn to name and use the temporary dataset with ampersand in utilities.

Learn how to use the IBM mainframe utility IEFBR14 within a batch job to create and later delete a dataset, including dataset properties, memory parameters, and log or condition-code checks.

Use the IEBGENER utility to copy data from one data set to another, enabling backups and transfers from input to output files on the mainframe.

Learn to use the IBM IEBCOPY utility to copy a previous member to another member, configure job steps, input and output data sets, and review diagnostic messages.

Learn to use IEBCOPY with include to copy only selected PD members from one place to another, by passing parameters and naming the members to copy.

Explore using IEBCOPY to copy mainframe members with exclude options, demonstrating copy all members, selecting specific members, and refreshing destinations while preserving existing copies.

Apply IEBCOPY to compress dataset members and reclaim memory, troubleshoot a naming error, and demonstrate submitting jobs to verify successful compression across all members for sys admins and production operators.

Learn how to use the iebcopy compress utility on the mainframe to reclaim space in pds members by compressing data sets, monitoring utilization, and expanding memory for additional backups.

Explore how to use the IBC Wimpier utility and the DCL to compare two pds members, detect differences across dev and live environments, and handle extra or unequal records.

Learn to compare two PS files with IEBCOMPR, using batch and 3.1.2 or 3.1.3 utilities to detect added, deleted, or differing records in datasets.

Learn how to concatenate two or more datasets into a single merged dataset using a general utilities copy process, preserving properties.

Explore how to create a GDG base, attach datasets, and manage up to five generations with scratch or no-scratch settings, including uncataloguing old generations using the CAMHS utility.

Learn how to create a gdg base in mainframe jcl, generate and copy the daily file to new generations, and manage weekly backups with no-scratch versus scratch options.

Learn to access a GDG generation and copy the present generation data to a dataset, using relative generations (0, -1, -2, -3, -4) for copy operations.

Learn to create a base and generations, access data from generations, and delete the base or generations using force and purge options, including deleting the ddt.

Explore generation data groups, which manage multiple sequential datasets with the same attributes, and learn to create a base and generation to maintain backups and versioned data.

Engage in a hands-on session on chapter four topics by creating 133 and 80 byte records, applying block and cylinder configurations, and using IBM utilities to manage JCL and datasets.

Learn three bypass techniques in JCL—if statements with a conditional parameter, restart parameter, and conditional restarts—to skip steps and run only desired activities.

Explore how if statements control bypass decisions in mainframe jcl by evaluating conditions, such as step zero one return equal to zero, to execute or bypass subsequent steps.

Explore conditional parameters in JCL, including state and activity level usage and relational operators like equal to and not equal to. See how true conditions bypass steps and false conditions execute.

Explore using the condition parameter at the job level in JCL, including valid forms like equal to and not equal to, zero zero defaults, and bypassing steps.

Explore the conditional parameter in mainframe JCL and how job-level or exec-level conditions bypass or execute steps using can equal to only and cant equal to even.

Learn how to use restart in jcl to bypass steps or jump to a specific step after an error, while managing if conditions and temporary datasets.

Master how to use the restart parameter to resume a JCL job from a chosen step, bypassing earlier steps to prevent duplicate file creation and reexecution errors.

Learn to sort data in mainframe JCL, choosing ascending or descending order by specifying starting position, field length, and data type (character, numeric, floating, binary).

Learn how to copy only a subset of records in mainframe JCL using stop after and skip record options, controlling steps and testing with large data volumes.

Learn how to use mainframe JCL sort to skip duplicate records during copy, apply conditions for non-duplicates, and use XSUM to copy duplicates to another file.

Demonstrates how to sort and skip records in mainframe JCL, manage duplicates with the sort utility, and use exemption to copy duplicates to a date-specific data set.

Learn how Indrek and Outdrink control copying in mainframe JCL sorting, choosing before-sort or after-sort copies, and loading only selected fields into the output file.

Explore sorting with include conditions in jcl's sort utility, copying only records matching a field value (for example Abel or Ohio state) by specifying start positions and lengths.

Explore the mainframe sort utility to sort data in ascending or descending order, apply include conditions to copy only selected records, skip others, and control output placement.

Learn how to control costs in mainframe JCL by using control cards and reusable PBS members to store code, enabling environment-specific datasets across development, test, and production.

Learn how to create and call an instream proc with symbolic parameters, override datasets, and use catalog proc to expand code and manage datasets.

Discover how catalog procedures enable reusable JCL blocks, with symbolic parameters and environment-aware naming to create shared input and output datasets for multiple jobs.

Explore procs as reusable code components in mainframe jcl, including catalog procs stored as separate pds members and called by dcl, and stream procs for real-time use.