A discrete profile should be used to protect a data set only if the data set has a unique security requirement from any other resource. You can protect data sets with discrete profiles when you use the DFSMSdss COPY or RESTORE command if you have the authority to define a discrete profile to protect that data set.

When a data set is protected with a discrete profile, an indicator is set in the VTOC entry for a non-VSAM data set, in the catalog entry for a VSAM data set, or in the tape volume profile for the tape volume that contains a tape data set. This condition is called RACF-indicated.