This area contains control blocks that exist from task initiation to task termination. It includes control blocks and tables created during JCL interpretation and used by the initiator during job step scheduling. Each initiator has its own SWA within the user's private area.

To enable recovery, the SWA can be recorded on direct access storage in the JOB JOURNAL. SWA is allocated at the top of each private area intermixed with LSQA and subpools 229, 230, and 249.