Why is it that when I script:
ps -ef |grep os_

It returns

production 18160 1 0 May 11 ? 0:55 ora_dbw0_production
> > >
> > >production 17376 14627 1 12:39:10 ttyp1 0:00 grep ora_
> > >
> > >production 18164 1 0 May 11 ? 2:15 ora_ckpt_production
> > >
> > >production 18166 1 0 May 11 ? 2:00 ora_smon_production
> > >
> > >production 18168 1 0 May 11 ? 0:00 ora_reco_production
> > >
> > >production 18170 1 0 May 11 ? 1:32 ora_cjq0_production
> > >
> > >production 18162 1 0 May 11 ? 3:47 ora_lgwr_production
> > >
> > >production 18158 1 0 May 11 ? 1:19 ora_pmon_production
> > >
> > >production 18172 1 0 May 11 ? 21:26 ora_qmn0_production

What is line 2 and if it's not a db process why did it pull it up?

First, I guess you meant ps -ef | grep ora_ , not os_

Anyway, the second line comes up because when you run the ps -ef | grep command, you create a process, so your command simply is picking itself up among the list of processes running.

You grep for a string of text, not a type of process.

Oops, your right. I meant grep ora_.
Thanks for the help. I was on the right track, I just didn't know how to bring it on home.