Generic profiles can be used to protect existing data sets without turning on the RACF-indicator flag in the data set VTOC entry for a non-VSAM data set or in the catalog entry for a VSAM data set. Generic profiles can be used to permit access to data sets, deny access to data sets, and control who can create data sets. A small number of generic profiles can be used to protect many data sets.

Generic profile checking for the DATASET class must be activated by the RACF® SETROPTS GENERIC(DATASET) command. An entry in the global access checking table can let a user access a data set that the generic data set profile does not. For more information, see Global access checking table.