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Job Name

Enhanced Definition

In the z/OS environment, a Job Name is a unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to a batch job or started task. It serves as the primary means for the operating system and users to identify, track, and manage a specific unit of work from its submission through execution to completion.

Key Characteristics

- Alphanumeric Identifier: Consists of 1 to 8 characters, typically uppercase letters (A-Z), numbers (0-9), and national characters (#, @, $). The first character must be alphabetic or a national character.
- Uniqueness: Must be unique among all currently active jobs and started tasks within a single z/OS system or sysplex to prevent conflicts and ensure proper resource allocation and tracking.
- JCL JOB Statement: Specified as the operand of the JOB statement in Job Control Language (JCL), for example: //MYJOB JOB .... This statement is mandatory for every batch job.
- System Tracking: Used by the Job Entry Subsystem (JES2/JES3) and the operating system for scheduling, resource management, output management, and logging purposes.
- Associated with Job Number: While the Job Name is user-defined, the system assigns a unique sequential job number (e.g., JOB00001) to each job for internal tracking, which often appears alongside the Job Name in system displays.
- Monitoring and Control: Essential for monitoring job status (e.g., using SDSF), retrieving job output, and issuing operator commands to hold, cancel, or restart jobs.

Use Cases

- Batch Job Submission: Every batch job submitted to z/OS via JCL must begin with a JOB statement that includes a unique Job Name, allowing JES to process and schedule it.
- Job Output Retrieval: Users specify the Job Name (and optionally the job number) to view or print job output (SYSOUT) using tools like SDSF, TSO OUTPUT command, or other output management systems.
- System Monitoring: System programmers and operators use Job Names to monitor the progress of jobs, identify resource consumption, and diagnose issues in real-time from the system console or monitoring tools.
- Workload Management (WLM): WLM uses Job Names (or groups of Job Names via generic naming patterns) to classify workloads, assign service classes, and manage system resources according to defined performance goals.
- Job Control Commands: Operators issue commands like $P MYJOB (purge job), $H MYJOB (hold job), or $C MYJOB (cancel job) using the Job Name to manage job execution from the JES command interface.

Related Concepts

The Job Name is fundamental to the Job Control Language (JCL), specifically the JOB statement, which initiates every batch job. It works in conjunction with the Job Entry Subsystem (JES2/JES3), which uses the Job Name to manage the job's lifecycle from input queue to execution and output processing. While the Job Name is user-defined, JES assigns a unique job number for internal tracking. The Job Name is also crucial for Workload Manager (WLM) to classify and manage system resources for different workloads, and for tools like SDSF to display job status and output.

Best Practices:

Meaningful Naming: Choose Job Names that are descriptive of the job's function, application, or purpose (e.g., PAYROLL0, DB2UTIL1, BACKUP01) to improve readability and ease of identification.