How To Fix W/170 - No resources for parallel processing

SAP Error Message - Details

• Message type: E = Error

• Message class: W/ -

• Message number: 170

• Message text: No resources for parallel processing

Self-Explanatory Message

Since SAP believes that this specific error message is 'self-explanatory,' no more information has been given.The majority of messages in the SAP system have a message text, however this is frequently insufficient to comprehend or resolve the problem.

To make things easier, more detailed information is frequently added to describe the issue, how to fix it, and the necessary steps or configuration modifications.

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Smart SAP Assistant

• What is the cause and solution for SAP error message W/170 - No resources for parallel processing ?

  SAP Error Message:
  
  W/170 No resources for parallel processing
  
  Cause:
  This warning message indicates that the SAP system has run out of available work processes or dialog processes to handle parallel processing requests. Essentially, the system cannot allocate additional resources (work processes) to execute parallel tasks because all are currently busy or the configured number of work processes is insufficient.
  Parallel processing in SAP is used to improve performance by executing multiple tasks simultaneously. However, if the system is not configured with enough work processes or if the workload is too high, this warning appears.
  
  Detailed Explanation:
  
  SAP uses work processes (dialog, background, update, enqueue, spool) to handle user requests.
  Parallel processing requires multiple dialog work processes to run tasks concurrently.
  If all dialog work processes are busy, new parallel processing requests cannot be served.
  This leads to the warning W/170 No resources for parallel processing.
  It is often seen during batch jobs, report executions, or any parallel-enabled program.
  
  
  Common Causes:
  
  Insufficient number of dialog work processes configured in the system.
  High system load causing all dialog processes to be busy.
  Long-running or stuck processes consuming resources.
  Inefficient parallel processing design causing excessive resource consumption.
  System parameters limiting the number of parallel processes.
  
  
  Solutions:
  
  
  Increase the Number of Dialog Work Processes:
  
  Check the current number of dialog work processes via transaction SM51.
  Increase the number of dialog work processes in the instance profile parameters:
  
  Parameter: rdisp/wp_no_dia
  
  
  After changing, restart the instance to apply changes.
  
  
  
  Optimize Parallel Processing Design:
  
  Review the program or job that triggers parallel processing.
  Reduce the number of parallel tasks if too many are spawned simultaneously.
  Implement better load balancing or throttling mechanisms.
  
  
  
  Monitor and Kill Long-Running or Stuck Processes:
  
  Use transaction SM50 or SM66 to monitor work processes.
  Identify and terminate any stuck or long-running processes that block resources.
  
  
  
  Check System Load and Performance:
  
  Analyze system workload and optimize other resource-consuming jobs.
  Schedule heavy jobs during off-peak hours.
  
  
  
  Adjust Parallel Processing Parameters:
  
  Some programs allow setting the maximum number of parallel processes.
  Adjust these settings to fit the system capacity.
  
  
  
  Check for SAP Notes:
  
  Search SAP Support Portal for any notes related to W/170 or parallel processing issues.
  Apply relevant patches or corrections if available.
  
  
  
  
  Related Information:
  
  
  Transaction Codes:
  
  SM51 - List of application servers and work processes.
  SM50 - Work process overview.
  SM66 - Global work process overview.
  SM37 - Job monitoring.
  ST22 - Dump analysis (in case of related short dumps).
  
  
  
  SAP Documentation:
  
  SAP Help Portal on Work Processes and Parallel Processing.
  SAP Notes related to parallel processing and work process tuning.
  
  
  
  Performance Tuning:
  
  Proper sizing of dialog work processes is critical.
  Avoid excessive parallelism beyond system capacity.
  
  
  
  
  Summary:
  The warning W/170 No resources for parallel processing occurs when the SAP system cannot allocate enough dialog work processes to handle parallel tasks. The primary solution is to increase the number of dialog work processes and optimize the parallel processing workload to fit system capacity. Monitoring and tuning system resources and job design are key to resolving this issue.