how to check which background process are running in my oracle database?
17:31:15 SYSTEM@sandbox&gt; ed
Wrote file S:\spool\sandbox\BUFFER_SYSTEM_34.sql

  1  select sid,  process, program
  2    from v$session s join v$bgprocess using (paddr)
  3   where s.status = 'ACTIVE'
  4*    and rownum &lt; 5
17:31:21   5  /

       SID PROCESS                  PROGRAM
---------- ------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------
         2 1332                     ORACLE.EXE (PMON)
         3 480                      ORACLE.EXE (PSP0)
         4 976                      ORACLE.EXE (VKTM)
         5 992                      ORACLE.EXE (GEN0)

Elapsed: 00:00:00.05


However, this doesn't make much sense as they're always stated as active, so I guess you should define what you mean saying active.