Interviews are a worrying time for most people, right?

Not for me! I really enjoy them. But, with 30+ years of experience under my belt, I have a very comfortable time talking about all aspects of the wonderful IBM POWER SYSTEM and the IBM i OPERATING SYSTEM. I know maybe half of the operating system and that knowledge is shrinking every day – because the IBM i ecosystem is growing every day. So I have to learn new things, and relearn old things every day in the fun technology filled world. I love it 🙂

Me. Coffee Cup in Hand.

If you are just making your first steps into the IBM i World this might help.

Here are 15 IBM i (AS/400) technical interview questions with answers:

1. Explain the purpose and structure of the IBM i (AS/400) operating system.
   Answer: The IBM i (formerly known as AS/400) is an integrated, multi-user, and object-oriented operating system designed for business applications. It provides a comprehensive set of tools and services for application development, data management, and system administration.
2. Describe the different types of IBM i user profiles and their permissions.
   Answer: IBM i has several types of user profiles, including: *USER (standard user with limited permissions), *SYSOPR (system operator with administration capabilities), and *SECOFR (security officer with full system access).
3. How do you create and manage IBM i libraries and objects?
   Answer: Use CL commands like CRTLIB, DLTLIB, and CHGLIB to create, delete, and manage IBM i libraries. To work with objects within a library, use commands like CRTDTAARA, CRTPF, and CHGOBJOWN.
4. Explain the concept of IBM i job management and the different job types.
   Answer: IBM i job management involves controlling and monitoring the execution of programs and processes. The different job types include interactive jobs, batch jobs, subsystem jobs, and system jobs, each with its own characteristics and resource requirements.
5. Describe the IBM i command language (CL) and its syntax.
   Answer: The IBM i command language (CL) is a powerful, English-like programming language used for system administration, job control, and application development. CL commands follow a specific syntax, with parameters and keywords that can be used to customize the command’s behavior.
6. Explain the IBM i file system and the different file types (physical, logical, etc.).
   Answer: The IBM i file system includes physical files (database files), logical files (views of physical files), source physical files, and stream files (integrated file system). Each file type has its own characteristics and uses within the IBM i environment.
7. Describe the IBM i database management system (DB2 for i) and its features.
   Answer: DB2 for i is the integrated database management system on IBM i. It provides features like data integrity, concurrency control, backup and recovery, and advanced SQL capabilities to support business applications.
8. How do you create and manage IBM i database files and tables?
   Answer: Use CL commands like CRTPF, CRTLF, and CHGPF to create and manage IBM i database files and tables. SQL statements like CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, and DROP TABLE can also be used for database object management.
9. Explain the IBM i security model and the different security levels.
   Answer: IBM i has a comprehensive security model with different security levels, including *PUBLIC (default public access), *CHANGE (read, add, update, delete), and *ALL (full control).
10. Describe the IBM i backup and recovery process and the different backup types.
    Answer: IBM i provides backup and recovery options like Save/Restore commands (SAVLIB, RSTLIB) for full or incremental backups, journaling and commitment control for database file recovery, and saved objects and system configuration data for system recovery.
11. How do you use IBM i data areas and data queues for inter-program communication?
    Answer: Data areas and data queues are used for inter-program communication on IBM i. Data areas can store and share data between programs, while data queues can be used to pass messages and data between programs.
12. Explain the IBM i message handling system and how to work with messages.
    Answer: The IBM i message handling system allows programs to send, receive, and respond to system and user-defined messages.
13. Describe the IBM i program call and parameter passing mechanisms.
    Answer: IBM i supports various program call mechanisms, including CALL commands, program calls, and service program calls. Parameters can be passed using CL command parameters, program parameters, and program-to-program interfaces.
14. How do you use IBM i data structures, such as arrays and structures, in programs?
    Answer: IBM i supports various data structures, including arrays and structures, which can be used in programs to organize and manipulate data. These data structures can be defined and accessed using CL commands and programming languages like RPG and COBOL.
15. Explain the IBM i exception handling and error management techniques.
    Answer: IBM i provides robust exception handling and error management capabilities, including the use of monitoring and recovery programs, error message handling, and program status indicators to handle any and all error conditions in my your code

How about a very simple IBM i Beginners Level Quiz – Ready?