Mastering Autosys: Top 20 Interview Questions and Answers

Are you preparing for an Autosys interview? Look no further! This comprehensive guide covers the top 20 Autosys interview questions and answers, providing you with the knowledge and confidence to ace your next interview. Autosys is a powerful job scheduling and workload automation tool, and understanding its intricacies is crucial for any IT professional working with this technology.

What is Autosys?

Autosys, developed by Broadcom (formerly CA Technologies), is an automated job control system used for scheduling, monitoring, and reporting jobs across a network of interconnected machines. It is a versatile tool that enables organizations to streamline their batch processing operations, ensuring that jobs are executed reliably and efficiently.

How Does Autosys Work?

To understand how Autosys operates, it’s essential to grasp its architecture, which consists of the following key components:

1. Remote Agent: This is a process activated by the Event Processor to run tasks on remote machines within the network.
2. Event Server: This is the database that stores job definitions, job events, and other relevant information.
3. Event Processor: This component processes events and manages the execution of jobs based on the defined schedules and dependencies.

Top 20 Autosys Interview Questions and Answers

1. What is Autosys?
   Autosys is an automated job controlling tool used for scheduling, monitoring, and reporting jobs across a network of interconnected machines.

2. Which database is used to store Autosys jobs?
   Autosys jobs are stored in the Event Server database.

3. How can you check the status of a job in Autosys?
   You can check the status of a particular job using the following command:

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   autostatus -j job_name

4. What is the meaning of the “Inactive” status in Autosys?
   The “Inactive” status in Autosys indicates that a job is not currently running.

5. How can you define global variables in Autosys?
   Global variables in Autosys can be defined using the TEST_VARIABLE command in another job, or by using the send event -E SET_GLOBAL -G command.

6. What is Autosys JIL?
   Autosys JIL (Job Information Language) is a scripting language used for developing and defining jobs in Autosys. The Autosys GUI is based on JIL, where you specify job attributes and arguments.

7. What is CA in Autosys?
   CA (now Broadcom) is the company that developed Autosys as a workload automation tool for large corporations, where jobs are scheduled from a central location to improve automation.

8. What is Erwin Autosys?
   Erwin is a data modeling application used to create entity-relationship diagrams for developing database strategies. Erwin Autosys is a combination of Erwin and Autosys, designed to improve data handling and automation.

9. What is SVN, and how is it related to Autosys?
   SVN (Subversion) is a version control system used to store code in a centrally located server, enabling different developers to collaborate without affecting each other’s code. SVN can be used in conjunction with Autosys to manage and version control job definitions and scripts.

10. How can you stop or kill a process in Autosys?
    You can stop or kill a process (job) in Autosys using the following syntax:

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    send event -E KILLJOB -j <job_name>

11. How can you execute multiple commands in Autosys?
    Multiple commands can be executed in Autosys by using shell scripting. You can include all the commands in a text file with a .sh extension and execute the file.

12. How can you check the Autosys version?
    You can check the Autosys version using the following command:

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    cybAgent -v

13. How can you refresh Autosys?
    To refresh Autosys, you need to restart the Autosys services or components, such as the Event Processor, Remote Agents, and Event Server.

14. What does the Eventor do in Autosys?
    The Eventor starts the scheduler in Autosys, responsible for managing and executing jobs based on their schedules and dependencies.

15. What is the difference between Dbms_Scheduler and Autosys?
    Dbms_Scheduler is a job scheduling tool introduced in Oracle 10g for handling the processing of batch jobs within the database environment. Autosys, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive workload automation tool that offers additional features such as better workload deployments, error reduction, and handling processes across different servers.

16. What is a File Watcher job in Autosys?
    A File Watcher job in Autosys is used to monitor the presence and size of a specific file in the operating system. It is similar to a command job, but it executes completely only when the monitored file does not increase in size.

17. What is the difference between “on_hold” and “on_ice” in Autosys?

    • on_hold: This command prevents a job from executing. When an on_hold job is set to off_hold, it will start executing if the initialization conditions are met correctly.
    • on_ice: This command also prevents a job from executing. However, even if a job is set to off_ice, it will not run until the initialization conditions reappear.

18. How can you use the run_calendar attribute in Autosys?
    The run_calendar attribute is used to schedule jobs on specific days of the calendar. Jobs with the run_calendar attribute will only run on the days specified in the calendar.

19. What is the difference between Autosys and other job schedulers like Cron or Windows Task Scheduler?
    Autosys is a more robust and feature-rich job scheduling and workload automation tool compared to simpler schedulers like Cron (for Unix/Linux) or Windows Task Scheduler. Autosys offers advanced features such as job dependencies, event-based scheduling, centralized management, and monitoring capabilities across multiple platforms.

20. Can Autosys handle cross-platform job scheduling?
    Yes, Autosys is designed to handle cross-platform job scheduling. It can manage and execute jobs across different operating systems and platforms, providing a centralized and consistent approach to workload automation.

By familiarizing yourself with these Autosys interview questions and answers, you’ll be better prepared to showcase your knowledge and expertise during your interviews. Remember, practice and hands-on experience with Autosys are invaluable assets that can further enhance your chances of success.