Autosys Interview Questions: Top 10 Questions to Prepare for Your Next Interview

Autosys is an automated job controlling tool used for scheduling, monitoring and reporting jobs. It is widely used in the IT industry to automate various tasks. If you are preparing for an Autosys interview, it is important to be well-versed in Autosys concepts and be able to answer Autosys interview questions with confidence.

Interview questions related to Autosys can be tricky and challenging. It is important to have a good understanding of Autosys architecture, job types, and commands. In this article, we will provide you with a list of top Autosys interview questions and answers that will help you prepare for your Autosys interview. We will cover various Autosys concepts, including the Autosys event server, event processor, and remote agent. So, let’s get started and dive into the world of Autosys interview questions.

Understanding Autosys

Autosys is an automated job scheduling and monitoring tool used for defining, scheduling, and monitoring jobs. It is widely used in the IT industry for scheduling and executing jobs on various platforms, including Unix, Windows, and Linux. Autosys is developed by Computer Associates (CA) and is widely used in large enterprises for its scalability and reliability.

Autosys Basics

Autosys is a job scheduling tool that allows users to define jobs, which can be a Unix script, Java program, or any other program that can be invoked from the shell. Each job definition contains a variety of qualifying attributes, including the conditions specifying when and where a job should be run. Autosys provides a GUI interface for defining and monitoring jobs, which makes it easy to use for both technical and non-technical users.

Autosys Architecture

Autosys consists of three main components: the Event Server, the Remote Agent, and the Event Processor. The Event Server is the central component of Autosys and is responsible for managing the job definitions and the scheduling of jobs. The Remote Agent is installed on each machine where a job is to be run and is responsible for executing the job. The Event Processor is responsible for processing the events generated by the Remote Agents and updating the status of the jobs in the database.

Autosys uses a JIL (Job Information Language) scripting language for defining jobs. The JIL script contains the job definition, including the job name, the command to be executed, the conditions under which the job should be run, and the machine on which the job should be run. Autosys also provides a command-line interface for managing jobs, which is useful for scheduling and monitoring jobs in batch mode.

In conclusion, Autosys is a powerful job scheduling and monitoring tool used in the IT industry for defining, scheduling, and monitoring jobs. It is widely used in large enterprises for its scalability and reliability. Autosys provides a GUI interface for defining and monitoring jobs, making it easy to use for both technical and non-technical users. Autosys consists of three main components: the Event Server, the Remote Agent, and the Event Processor, which work together to manage and execute jobs.

Working with Autosys

Autosys Job Management

Autosys is an automated job controlling tool used for scheduling, monitoring, and reporting jobs. Autosys job management allows you to manage jobs and monitor their status. Jobs can be present on any Autosys configured machine and connected to a network.

The Autosys job management system provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to manage jobs, job definitions, and dependencies. The GUI provides an easy-to-use interface that allows you to view job status, start, stop, and restart jobs, and monitor job activity.

The Autosys command line interface (CLI) is another way to manage jobs. The CLI allows you to create, modify, and delete jobs, and view job status and activity. The CLI is particularly useful for batch processing and scripting.

Autosys Command Line Interface

The Autosys CLI provides a set of commands that allow you to manage jobs from the command line. The CLI is available on both Unix and Windows platforms. Some of the commonly used Autosys commands are:

• jil: This command is used to create or modify a job definition in JIL (Job Information Language) format.
• sendevent: This command is used to send events to the Autosys event server. Events can be used to start, stop, or change the status of a job.
• autorep: This command is used to display job information, including job status, machine, owner, and date conditions.
• job_depends: This command is used to display the dependencies of a job.
• sendevent: This command is used to send events to the Autosys event server. Events can be used to start, stop, or change the status of a job.

The Autosys CLI also provides a set of options that can be used to customize job behavior. For example, the -t option can be used to specify the run_calendar for a job, and the -j option can be used to specify the job name.

In summary, Autosys provides an easy-to-use job management system that allows you to manage and monitor jobs. The Autosys GUI provides a graphical interface for managing jobs, while the Autosys CLI provides a command line interface for batch processing and scripting. The Autosys CLI provides a set of commands and options that can be used to customize job behavior.

Autosys Job Scheduling

Autosys is a powerful job scheduling tool that can be used to automate and manage complex workflows. It is used for defining, scheduling, and monitoring jobs, which can be UNIX scripts, Java programs, or any other program that can be invoked from the shell. In this section, we will discuss the basics of Autosys job scheduling and some advanced scheduling techniques.

Scheduling Basics

At its core, Autosys is a job scheduler that allows users to define and schedule jobs based on a variety of criteria. Jobs can be scheduled to run at specific times, on specific days, or on a recurring basis. The scheduling information is defined in a JIL (Job Information Language) file, which is a text file that contains the job definitions.

One of the key features of Autosys is its ability to manage complex dependencies between jobs. For example, a job may need to wait for another job to complete before it can start. Autosys allows users to define these dependencies and ensures that jobs are executed in the correct order.

Another important feature of Autosys is its ability to handle job failures. If a job fails, Autosys can be configured to retry the job a certain number of times before giving up. It can also be configured to send notifications to users when a job fails or when a job completes successfully.

Advanced Scheduling Techniques

In addition to the basic scheduling features, Autosys also provides some advanced scheduling techniques that can be used to optimize job performance. One of these techniques is run_calendar, which allows users to define a calendar of days when jobs can run. This is useful for jobs that should only run on certain days, such as payroll processing jobs that should only run on weekdays.

Another advanced scheduling technique is the use of job types. Autosys provides several job types, including command, file watcher, and box jobs. Command jobs are the most basic type of job and simply execute a command or script. File watcher jobs monitor a file or directory for changes and execute a command when a change is detected. Box jobs are used to group related jobs together and define dependencies between them.

In conclusion, Autosys is a powerful job scheduling tool that can be used to automate and manage complex workflows. It provides a wide range of scheduling features and advanced techniques that can be used to optimize job performance. By using Autosys, organizations can reduce manual intervention, improve job reliability, and increase overall efficiency.

Autosys Job Statuses

Understanding Job Statuses

In Autosys, jobs can have different statuses based on their current state. These statuses indicate whether the job is running, waiting, or has completed. Some of the common job statuses in Autosys include:

• Active: The job is currently running.
• On Hold: The job is not running and is waiting for a release event to occur.
• On Ice: The job is not running and is waiting for a start event to occur.
• Inactive: The job is not running and is not scheduled to run in the future.
• Terminated: The job has been stopped or killed.

Each job status has a corresponding state code that can be used to identify the current state of the job. For example, the state code for an active job is “RU” (running), while the state code for a job that has completed successfully is “SU” (success).

Managing Job Statuses

As an Autosys administrator, you can manage the job statuses by using the Autosys command-line interface or the GUI. You can use the “sendevent” command to change the status of a job. For example, you can use the following command to put a job on hold:

sendevent -E HOLDJOB -J job_name

Similarly, you can use the following command to put a job on ice:

sendevent -E FREEZEJOB -J job_name

It is important to understand the difference between “on hold” and “on ice” statuses in Autosys. When a job is on hold, it is waiting for a release event to occur before it can resume. On the other hand, when a job is on ice, it is waiting for a start event to occur before it can run again.

In addition to managing the job statuses, you can also monitor the job statuses using the Autosys GUI or the command-line interface. You can use the “autorep” command to view the status of a job and its current state code. For example, you can use the following command to view the status of a job:

autorep -J job_name

In conclusion, understanding and managing job statuses in Autosys is an important aspect of job scheduling and monitoring. By using the Autosys command-line interface or the GUI, you can easily manage and monitor the job statuses to ensure that your jobs are running as expected.

Autosys Reporting and Monitoring

Autosys provides a comprehensive set of reporting and monitoring tools to help users keep track of their jobs and ensure that they run smoothly. In this section, we will discuss the basics of Autosys reporting and monitoring, including the different techniques and tools that are available.

Reporting Basics

Reporting in Autosys is done through a set of predefined reports that are generated by the system. These reports provide detailed information about the status of jobs, including their start and end times, their exit codes, and any errors or warnings that were encountered during their execution.

Users can access these reports through the Autosys GUI or by using the command-line interface. The reports can be customized to include only the information that is relevant to the user, and they can be exported to a variety of formats, including CSV, HTML, and PDF.

Monitoring Techniques

Autosys provides several monitoring techniques to help users keep track of their jobs and ensure that they run as expected. These techniques include:

• Agents: Autosys agents are responsible for executing jobs on the target machine. They communicate with the Autosys server to receive job instructions and report back on the status of the job. By monitoring the agent logs, users can get a detailed view of the job’s execution and identify any issues that may have occurred.

• Unix: Autosys jobs can be executed on Unix machines, which provides users with a powerful set of monitoring tools. Users can monitor the job’s progress through the Unix command line, and they can use Unix tools like grep and awk to search for specific events or errors in the job logs.

• Jil: Jil is the language used to define Autosys jobs. By monitoring the Jil files, users can get a detailed view of the job’s configuration and identify any issues that may be affecting the job’s execution.

• Job in Autosys: Autosys provides a job status command that allows users to check the status of a particular job. This command can be used to monitor the job’s progress and identify any issues that may have occurred.

• Autostatus: Autostatus is a tool that provides real-time monitoring of Autosys jobs. It can be used to monitor the status of jobs in real-time and provide alerts when issues are detected.

In conclusion, Autosys provides a powerful set of reporting and monitoring tools that can help users keep track of their jobs and ensure that they run smoothly. By using these tools, users can identify issues early and take corrective action before they become critical.

Advanced Autosys Topics

Working with Autosys Database

Autosys database is an important component of the Autosys system. It stores all the information related to Autosys jobs, including job definitions, schedules, and execution logs. The database can be configured to use different DBMS systems, such as Oracle, SQL Server, or MySQL. To work with the Autosys database, you need to have a good understanding of SQL and the database schema.

One of the most important tables in the Autosys database is the JOB table. It contains all the information related to Autosys jobs, including job name, description, command, and scheduling information. Other important tables include the CALENDAR table, which stores the definitions of calendars used by Autosys, and the JIL table, which contains the definitions of Autosys jobs in JIL format.

Global Variables in Autosys

Global variables in Autosys are variables that can be used across multiple jobs. They are defined in the Autosys configuration file and can be referenced in job definitions using the $AUTOSYS_GLOBAL_VAR macro. Global variables can be useful for defining common settings, such as email addresses, file paths, or database connection strings, that are used by multiple jobs.

To define a global variable, you need to add a line to the Autosys configuration file in the following format:

insert_job: GLOBAL_VARS job_type: CMD command: /bin/true

This creates a special job called GLOBAL_VARS that does nothing but define global variables. You can then add lines to the job definition like this:

command: /path/to/script.sh $AUTOSYS_GLOBAL_VAR1 $AUTOSYS_GLOBAL_VAR2

This will substitute the values of the global variables into the command line when the job is executed.

In conclusion, working with the Autosys database and global variables is an advanced topic that requires a good understanding of SQL and the Autosys configuration file. By mastering these topics, you can take your Autosys skills to the next level and become a more effective workload automation engineer.

Preparing for an Autosys Interview

If you are preparing for an Autosys interview, it is essential to have a good understanding of the tool and its functionalities. Here are some tips to help you prepare for your Autosys interview.

Common Interview Questions

Below are some common Autosys interview questions that you should be familiar with:

Question	Answer
What is Autosys?	Autosys is an automated job controlling tool used for scheduling, monitoring, and reporting jobs.
What is a job in Autosys?	A job is any single command, executable, script, or Windows batch file that you create to instruct the system what command, executable, or batch file to run.
What are qualifying attributes in Autosys?	Qualifying attributes are conditions that specify when and where a job should be run. They include start times, dependencies, and resource requirements, among others.
What is the specification language used in Autosys?	Autosys uses a specification language to define jobs and their attributes. This language is similar to the syntax used in shell scripts.

Tips for a Successful Interview

To succeed in your Autosys interview, consider the following tips:

1. Research the company and the position: Before the interview, research the company and the position you are applying for. This will help you understand the job requirements and tailor your answers to the company’s needs.

2. Review your Autosys knowledge: Make sure you have a good understanding of Autosys and its functionalities. Review the common interview questions and be prepared to answer them.

3. Practice your communication skills: Be clear and concise in your answers. Use examples to illustrate your points and avoid jargon or technical terms that the interviewer may not be familiar with.

4. Be confident and knowledgeable: Show the interviewer that you are confident and knowledgeable about Autosys. Demonstrate your understanding of the tool and its functionalities, and be prepared to talk about your experience using Autosys.

5. Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the company, the position, or Autosys. This will show the interviewer that you are interested in the job and eager to learn more.

In summary, preparing for an Autosys interview requires a good understanding of the tool and its functionalities, as well as effective communication skills. By following these tips and reviewing common interview questions, you can increase your chances of success and land your dream job.