11. What is a path?
A path is a file that allows you to access a file by alternate index - the path provides an association between the AIX and the base cluster.

12. What is the upgrade set?
The upgrade set is the list of all AIXes that VSAM must maintain for a specific base cluster, so that when data in the base cluster is updated, the AIX files are also updated.

13. What is free space?
Free space is reserved within the data component of a KSDS to accommodate inserting new records.

14. What is a VSAM split?
If there isn't enough space in the control interval VSAM performs a control interval split by moving some records to the free control intervals. If there isn't a free control interval VSAM performs a control area split by allocating a new control area and moving half of the control intervals to it.

15. What is the base cluster?
The base cluster consists of the data component and the index component for the primary index of a KSDS.

16. Do primary key values have to be unique? Do alternate key values have to be unique?
Primary key values must be unique; alternate key values need not be.

17. In the COBOL SELECT statement what is the ORGANIZATION for a KSDS?
The ORGANIZATION is INDEXED.

18. In the COBOL SELECT statement for a KSDS what are the three possibilities for ACCESS?
ACCESS can be SEQUENTIAL, RANDOM or DYNAMIC.

19. What is the COBOL RECORD KEY clause?
The RECORD KEY in the SELECT clause identifies the files primary key as it will be known to the program.

20. What is the purpose of the FILE STATUS clause in the SELECT statement?
The FILE STATUS field identifies the field that VSAM uses to provide information about each I/O operation for the file.