VSAM data sets can be allocated using JCL, TSO ALLOCATE, and dynamic allocation. Use the RECORG parameter to identify the type of VSAM data set that is allocated, such as key-sequenced. Default VSAM allocation parameters are the same as for the access method services DEFINE command.

VSAM component names are derived from DSNAME. For a key-sequenced VSAM cluster, the data component is named DSNAME.DATA and the index component is named DSNAME.INDEX.

VSAM data sets can now be allocated as temporary data sets.