temporary storage queues can be used to store data either in main storage of the operating system, or in auxiliary storage on a direct-access storage device. Generally, main storage is used if small amounts of data are needed for short periods of time; auxiliary storage is used if data is to be kept for long periods of time. Transactions can write, update, read, and delete data in a temporary storage queue any number of times until the queue is deleted.
Temporary storage queues are not predefined to a region, but created the first time you write to a queue by using a new symbolic name. Any transaction can retrieve temporary data by using the symbolic name that is assigned to the queue. Specific elements (logical records) within a queue are referred to by relative position numbers.
A temporary storage queue having only one record can be handled as a single unit of data that you can access by using its symbolic name; for example, as a scratchpad for multiple transactions. In general, use temporary storage queues of more than one record only when direct access or repeated access to records is necessary; transient data control provides facilities for efficient handling of sequential files.