VALIDATE

Syntax

Text description of the illustration validate.gif

Purpose

To examine a backup set and report whether it can be restored. RMAN scans all of the backup pieces in the specified backup sets and looks at the checksums to verify that the contents are intact so that the backup can be successfully restored if necessary.

Note: The VALIDATE BACKUPSET command tests whether the backup sets can be restored, whereas CROSSCHECK merely examines the headers of the specified files if they are on disk or queries the media management catalog if they are on tape.

Use this command when you suspect that one or more backup pieces in a backup set are missing or have been damaged. Use VALIDATE BACKUPSET to specify which backups to test; use the VALIDATE option of the RESTORE command to let RMAN choose which backups to validate.

Restrictions and Usage Notes

• Execute this command within the braces of a RUN command or at the RMAN prompt.

• If you do not have automatic channels configured, manually allocate at least one channel before executing a VALIDATE BACKUPSET statement.

• The target instance must be started.

Keywords and Parameters

primary_key	Specifies the backup sets to be validated by primary_key. Obtain the primary keys of backup sets by executing a LIST statement or, if you use a recovery catalog, by querying the RC_BACKUP_SET fixed view.
	CHECK LOGICAL	Tests data and index blocks that pass physical corruption checks for logical corruption, for example, corruption of a row piece or index entry. If RMAN finds logical corruption, then it logs the block in the alert.log and server session trace file. The RMAN command completes and Oracle populates the V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION and V$COPY_CORRUPTION views with corrupt block ranges. Note: VALIDATE does not use MAXCORRUPT.
	DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier	Allocates automatic channels for the specified device type only. This option is valid only if you have configured automatic channels and have not manually allocated channels. For example, if you configure automatic disk and tape channels, and run VALIDATE ...DEVICE TYPE DISK, RMAN allocates only disk channels. See Also: "deviceSpecifier"

Example

Validating a Backup Set: Example

This example validates the status of the backup set whose primary key is 12:

VALIDATE BACKUPSET 12;
# As the output indicates, RMAN determines whether it is possible to restore the
# specified backup set.

allocated channel: c1
channel ch1: sid=10 devtype=DISK
 
channel ch1: starting datafile backupset restore
set_count=16 set_stamp=341344502 creation_time=14-AUG-00
channel ch1: restored backup piece 1
piece handle=/oracle/dbs/0ga5h07m_1_1 params=NULL
channel ch1: restore complete
released channel: ch1