Need to increase max process in the init file. Please check and correct me

Question

Friends,
We have Oracle9iR2 database in the RHEL AS 3.0 box.
Sometimes we are getting ORA-00020, means the max process is reached.
We have planned to increase the max process from 150 to 250 in the init.ora file.
i think the init.ora will be in /u01/app/oracle/admin/ourdb/pfile/
correct me if i am wrong......
Step1: vi init.ora file and change the process from
processes=150
to
processes=250
while the database is running.
Step2:shutdown the database and start the database.
is there only 2 steps or i have to shutdown the db at the beginning itself?
Or i have to take any precautions. Our server is HP ML-370 with dual processor.
Thanks
Sathyguy

Answer 1

hi sathy
SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES
Purpose
Use the parameter SQLNET.AUTHENTICATION_SERVICES to enable one or more authentication services. If authentication has been installed, it is recommended that this parameter be set to either none or to one of the authentication methods.
Default
None
Values
Authentication Methods Available with Oracle Net Services:
none for no authentication methods. A valid username and password can be used to access the database.
all for all authentication methods
nts for Windows NT native authentication
SQL> conn hr as sysdba
Enter password:
Connected.
SQL>--change sqlnet.ora ( authentication setting to 'NONE')
SQL> conn hr as sysdba
Enter password:
ERROR:
ORA-01031: insufficient privileges
Warning: You are no longer connected to ORACLE.
SQL> conn sys as sysdba
Enter password:
Connected.
SQL> show user
USER is "SYS"
SQL>
set processes parameter through two methods
first.
SQL> conn sys as sysdba
Enter password:
Connected.
SQL> show parameter spfile
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
spfile                               string      D:\ORACLE\DB_1\DATABASE\SPFILE
                                                 ORCL.ORA
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     150
SQL> alter system set processes = 175 scope=spfile;
System altered.
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     150
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> startup
ORACLE instance started.
Total System Global Area  171966464 bytes
Fixed Size                   787988 bytes
Variable Size             145488364 bytes
Database Buffers           25165824 bytes
Redo Buffers                 524288 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL> show parameter spfile
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
spfile                               string      D:\ORACLE\DB_1\DATABASE\SPFILE
                                                 ORCL.ORA
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     175
SQL>
second method.
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> create pfile from spfile;
File created.
SQL> startup pfile=D:\oracle\Db_1\database\initorcl.ora
ORACLE instance started.
Total System Global Area  171966464 bytes
Fixed Size                   787988 bytes
Variable Size             145488364 bytes
Database Buffers           25165824 bytes
Redo Buffers                 524288 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL> show parameter spfile
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
spfile                               string
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     175
SQL> --- now my database is  start through pfile instead of spfile and i will
SQL> -- change in pfile again processes parameter 150.
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     175
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL> startup pfile=D:\oracle\Db_1\database\initorcl.ora
ORACLE instance started.
Total System Global Area  171966464 bytes
Fixed Size                   787988 bytes
Variable Size             145488364 bytes
Database Buffers           25165824 bytes
Redo Buffers                 524288 bytes
Database mounted.
Database opened.
SQL> show parameter processes
NAME                                 TYPE        VALUE
aq_tm_processes                      integer     0
db_writer_processes                  integer     1
gcs_server_processes                 integer     0
job_queue_processes                  integer     10
log_archive_max_processes            integer     2
processes                            integer     150
SQL>
1. Why can't i just edit the init.ora file to change the processes=250 while the db is running?
you can edit the init.ora file.
If i edit the init.ora file by shutting down the db will there any problem
not problem
init.ora file is text file you can edit easly
spfilesid.ora file is binary file you can not edit directly ... if you want to edit spfile file first change in pfile then create spfile from pfile...
hope this helps
Taj.