Database validity : full export or DBV

Hello,

I am looking for a set of script used to backup a database of 4 Go.
I noticed that the former DBA had opted for the following scenario :

- Cold backup (the database is in Archive log mode).
- 5 copies of backup are kept.
- A full export is done every 4 days to check if the database is valid (corruption problems...). The export is done with the option COMPRESS=NO.

I would like to know if we can use DBV to check if the db is valid insted of using full export. I would like to know if it is nesessary to put COMPRESS=NO...
Finally, what is the best method ( the advantages & the disadantages) used to check the DB validity (full export, DB verify, others...).

I am waiting for your replies...

Thanks...

Sofiane

There are 2 ways to detect corruption in the db:
1. exports (block corruption causes export to fail)
2. dbv
Since the db is not large, you can use either method to check for corruption. It is not an absolute to export with compress=n. Using compress=y will just create a table or index with one extent. You need not keep 5 backups. You can just keep a few days worth of arch files.