20 OpenVMS Interview Questions and Answers

OpenVMS is a computer operating system that is used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and government. Many businesses rely on OpenVMS to run mission-critical applications and processes. If you are interviewing for a position that will involve working with OpenVMS, it is important to be prepared to answer questions about your experience and knowledge of the operating system. This article reviews some common OpenVMS interview questions and provides tips on how to answer them.

OpenVMS Interview Questions and Answers

Here are 20 commonly asked OpenVMS interview questions and answers to prepare you for your interview:

1. What is OpenVMS?

OpenVMS is a computer operating system for use in general-purpose computing. It is a proprietary operating system developed and sold by Hewlett-Packard.

2. Can you explain what a DCL command line looks like in Open VMS?

A DCL command line in Open VMS typically consists of a command verb, followed by zero or more command qualifiers, and finally zero or more parameters. The command verb is the actual name of the command that you want to execute, while the qualifiers are used to modify the behavior of that command. The parameters are the values that the command will operate on. For example, a simple DCL command line to create a new file might look like this:

CREATE/FILE myfile.txt

This would create a new file called myfile.txt in the current directory.

3. How would you open a file for editing in Open VMS?

You would use the EDIT command to open a file for editing in Open VMS.

4. How do you copy a file from one location to another with the same name on OpenVMS?

You can use the COPY command to copy a file from one location to another with the same name on OpenVMS. The syntax for this command would be as follows:

COPY/SAME sourcefile destinationfile

5. Can you explain how to delete a directory and all its contents in OpenVMS?

To delete a directory and all its contents in OpenVMS, you will need to use the DELETE command with the /RECURSE option. This will delete the specified directory and all files and subdirectories within it.

6. How can you rename a file in OpenVMS?

You can use the RENAME command to rename a file in OpenVMS. For example, to rename the file “OLDNAME.TXT” to “NEWNAME.TXT”, you would use the following command:

RENAME/OLDNAME=”NEWNAME.TXT” OLDNAME.TXT

7. How do you search for files with matching names in OpenVMS?

You can use the wildcard character (*) to search for files with matching names in OpenVMS. For example, if you wanted to find all files that started with the letter “A”, you would use the following command:

SEARCH/FILE=A*.

8. What are some common editors available in OpenVMS?

Some common editors available in OpenVMS include EDT, Vi, and Notepad++.

9. How do you check system status details using OpenVMS commands?

You can use the OpenVMS command “SHOW SYSTEM” to check system status details. This command will give you information on the current state of the system, as well as some performance statistics.

10. What is the best way to create, modify, or delete an account in OpenVMS?

The best way to create, modify, or delete an account in OpenVMS is to use the OpenVMS Authorized User Utility (AUU). This utility allows authorized users to manage user accounts, including creating new accounts, modifying existing accounts, and deleting accounts.

11. What is the syntax used to change passwords of user accounts in OpenVMS?

The syntax for changing passwords in OpenVMS is as follows:

$ SET PASSWORD old_password=new_password

Where old_password is the current password for the user account, and new_password is the desired new password for the account.

12. How do you change the default prompt string in OpenVMS?

The default prompt string in OpenVMS can be changed by setting the DCL symbol $PROMPT. For example, to set the prompt string to “OPENVMS>”, you would enter the following command:

$ SET PROMPT=”OPENVMS>”

13. Can you explain what quotas are and how they are managed in OpenVMS?

Quotas are a means of limiting the amount of disk space and other resources that a user or group can consume on an OpenVMS system. They are managed using the Quota Manager, which is a tool that allows administrators to set and enforce quotas as needed.

14. Can you explain what node locking is? How does it work?

Node locking is a process that helps ensure that only one user can access a given file at a time. This is accomplished by having the system check for a lock on the file before allowing any user to open it. If a lock is present, the system will wait until the lock is released before allowing the next user to access the file.

15. What is the difference between an ordinary group and a privileged group in OpenVMS?

In OpenVMS, a privileged group is a group that has been given special permissions that allow its members to perform actions that ordinary users are not allowed to perform. This might include being able to access certain files or being able to run certain programs.

16. What are some ways to transfer files in OpenVMS?

There are a few ways to transfer files in OpenVMS. One way is to use the COPY command to copy the file from one location to another. Another way is to use the MOVE command to move the file from one location to another. Finally, you can also use the FTP command to transfer files between two systems.

17. Can you give me some examples of useful tips when working with OpenVMS?

Here are some tips when working with OpenVMS:

– Use the HELP command to get information about commands and other topics.
– Use the SHOW command to display the current values of system parameters.
– Use the SET command to change the values of system parameters.
– Use the DCL command line interface to issue commands.
– Use the DECwindows Motif graphical interface to issue commands and perform other tasks.
– Use the OpenVMS Editor to create and edit text files.
– Use the OpenVMS Debugger to debug programs.

18. What’s your understanding of queues and how they are used in OpenVMS?

In OpenVMS, queues are used to store and manage information. They are similar to files in that they can be used to store data, but they are different in that they are organized into records. Queues are used to store information that needs to be processed in a particular order, such as a print queue or a queue of tasks to be completed.

19. Can you explain the different types of instructions that can be used in OpenVMS batch jobs?

The three types of instructions that can be used in OpenVMS batch jobs are DCL, foreign, and OpenVMS. DCL is the most common type of instruction and is used for a variety of tasks, such as creating and deleting files. Foreign instructions are used for running programs that are not written for OpenVMS. OpenVMS instructions are used for specific OpenVMS tasks, such as managing system resources.

20. Can you explain what logical drives are and how they are created in OpenVMS?

A logical drive is a virtual disk drive that is created within OpenVMS. This is done by taking a section of an existing physical disk drive and designating it as a logical drive. This logical drive will then appear as a separate drive within OpenVMS, even though it is actually just a section of the physical drive.