When you define an alternate index, you specify descriptive information and performance, security, and data integrity options. The information can apply to the alternate index's data component, its index component, or the whole alternate index. Information for the entire alternate index is specified with the ALTERNATEINDEX parameter and its subparameters. Information for the data component or the index component is specified with the parameter DATA or INDEX.

Passwords are not supported for system-managed alternate indexes. To define an alternate index, you must have RACF alter authority for the base cluster.