Autostart job entries identify the autostart jobs to start as soon as the subsystem starts. When a subsystem starts, the system allocates several items and starts autostart and prestart jobs before it is ready for work.
The autostart jobs associated with a subsystem are automatically started each time the subsystem is started. An autostart job in the controlling subsystem can be used to start other subsystems (as does the IBM-supplied controlling subsystem). An autostart job is a batch job doing repetitive work.
For example: To call a special recovery program if the IPL senses that the previous system ending was abnormal, you can add an autostart job entry to the subsystem description for the controlling subsystem. This program checks the Previous system ending status (QABNORMSW) system value. For a normal system ending, the value of QABNORMSW is ’0’, and for an abnormal system ending, the value of QABNORMSW is ’1’.