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Oracle: datafile checkpoint

Each data file has a checkpoint. This checkpoint is basically an SCN.
The datafile checkpoint guarantues that the data that was changed by committed transactions with an SCN that is lower than the data file checkpoint is stored in the data file.
The SCN of the data file checkpoint can be queried from the column checkpoint_change# in v$datafile.
A datafile checkpoint is stored in the data file header.

See also

checkpoint SCN

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