Max no of processes exceeded (ORA-00020) error in oracle database

Fix:

Step  1 : Connect to the database as sqlplus “/ as sysdba”

Step  2:  Identify the Inactive process based on some threshold (may be Session

              Inactive for more than 5 hours  (select  sid

from   v$session

where  paddr in (select addr

                           from   v$process

                           where  background is null)

and     status=’INACTIVE’

and     last_call_et/5*60/60>1; 

) using the query given in Point No 4

              and then kill them. (Check for the guidelines documents for

              killing the session with  your Senior dba’s/Manager/Client).

Long Term Solution:

Step 1: Write a script to Identify and report the Inactive Sessions

             Running for Long Hours and Schedule this in Cron. Analyze this report

             and take Corrective Action.

Step 2:  Check the following:

             select  SESSIONS_HIGHWATER, SESSIONS_MAX

             from    v$license;

             SESSION_HIGHWATER = Highest number of concurrent user sessions  

                                                            since the instance started.

          

             SESSIONS_MAX              = Maximum number of concurrent user

                                                            sessions allowed for the instance

Step 3: Check the Process parameter value set in init.ora file.

Step 4: If the Process parameter value is less than session_highwater value, 

            Take Necessary approvals and Get the downtime to Shutdown the  

             instance.

Step 5: Increase the value of the Process init.ora parameter upto the value of 

            session_highwater value.