Oracle Fuzzy Bits.

If there are FUZZY BITS in the datafile header then that means there
may have been writes on the datafile after the last checkpoint.

So, whenever a datafile is opened it is checked for fuzzy bits.
If it is fuzzy then the database checks the checkpoint_change$
column to search the SCN from which the redo logs are to be applied.

ILLUSTRATION:

The following query shows the status and checkpoint information
of my datafiles.

SQL> select file#,status,checkpoint_count,checkpoint_change# 
 from v$datafile_header;

     FILE# STATUS  CHECKPOINT_COUNT CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
---------- ------- ---------------- ------------------
         1 ONLINE               102             814577
         2 ONLINE               102             814577
         3 ONLINE                30             814577
         4 ONLINE               101             814577
         5 ONLINE                26             814577





SQL> select file_name from dba_data_files;

FILE_NAME
-----------------------------------------
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/orcl/users01.dbf
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/orcl/undotbs01.dbf
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/orcl/sysaux01.dbf
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/orcl/system01.dbf
/u01/app/oracle/oradata/orcl/example01.dbf

Now i will take my EXAMPLE tablespace datafile offline.

SQL> alter database datafile '/u01/app/oracle/oradata/
orcl/example01.dbf' offline;

Database altered.

SQL> select file#,status,checkpoint_count,checkpoint_change#
 from v$datafile_header;

     FILE# STATUS  CHECKPOINT_COUNT CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
---------- ------- ---------------- ------------------
         1 ONLINE               103             818410
         2 ONLINE               103             818410
         3 ONLINE                31             818410
         4 ONLINE               102             818410
         5 OFFLINE               27             818410

Now i will do a checkpoint.

SQL> alter system checkpoint;

System altered.

SQL> select file#,status,checkpoint_count,checkpoint_change#
 from v$datafile_header;

     FILE# STATUS  CHECKPOINT_COUNT CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
---------- ------- ---------------- ------------------
         1 ONLINE               104             818477
         2 ONLINE               104             818477
         3 ONLINE                32             818477
         4 ONLINE               103             818477
         5 OFFLINE               27             818410

Now after checkpoint the checkpoint count on all the database
has increased except for the EXAMPLE TABLESPACE DATAFILE, if

i try to bring my datafile online now it will require

datafile recovery. Beacuse it has a fuzzy bit on it.

SQL> alter database datafile '/u01/app/oracle/oradata
/orcl/example01.dbf' online;

alter database datafile '/u01/app/oracle/oradata
/orcl/example01.dbf' online
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-01113: file 5 needs media recovery
ORA-01110: data file 5: '/u01/app/oracle/oradata
/orcl/example01.dbf'


SQL> recover datafile 5;
Media recovery complete.
SQL> alter database datafile '/u01/app/oracle/oradata
/orcl/example01.dbf' online;

Database altered.

SQL> select file#,status,checkpoint_count,checkpoint_change#
 from v$datafile_header;

     FILE# STATUS  CHECKPOINT_COUNT CHECKPOINT_CHANGE#
---------- ------- ---------------- ------------------
         1 ONLINE               104             818477
         2 ONLINE               104             818477
         3 ONLINE                32             818477
         4 ONLINE               103             818477
         5 ONLINE                29             818559