How can i determine real memory needed for SQL server?

Asked By Nancy Mohammed 0 points N/A Posted on - 07/14/2011

Hi,

I´m currently using a SQL Server on top of VMWARE Server with Win 2008 64 bits, with 4 GB of RAM. I´ve assigned 3 GB to SQL Server and the rest left it to OS management. But I always keep getting the impression that the box needs extra memory. Currently we´re running primarily batch processes. Are there any best practices out there regarding SQL?

Regards.

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Answered By faisal_banker 0 points N/A #80392

How can i determine real memory needed for SQL server?

Hi Nancy,

I have read your question about determining the real memory needed for SQL. I want to share with you that in windows the memory requirements can be changed from default based on the system resources. The default settings for the min server memory is set to 0 and the other one is the max server memory which is 16 megabytes.

You can set and change the default by going in to the Start Up menu and there you can alter the maximum server memory, but changing it from high to low may cause the performance to slow down a bit.

Thanks.

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• Posted on - 07/15/2011
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Answered By Garreth Krosner 0 points N/A #80393

How can i determine real memory needed for SQL server?

Hello,

• SQL Server has a memory designed for substantial use. Every time that the server needs to read from a disk, a page of memory gets cached for the disk operation which is not needed or unnecessary. Another thing is the use of cache procedure which has all execution query plans that the server created for the data to be manipulated, for the possible ways as per user requests. The server also has an exact amount of memory in its own box, thus it cannot proceed to cache data indefinitely.
• Here is the ways how memory works with SQL Server:
• For /3 GB or /USERVA/, has the an amount not more than 4 GB for the kernel code use. Allows you to have an application access of up to 3 GB of 4 GB first memory.
• For /PAE, allows operating system to use extensions for physical address thus allowing access to excess 4 GB to its physical memory.
• For ''AWE, it can turn on its AWE API code to give access from the memory above 4 GB. For less memory than 4 GB, it ignores the settings.
• For ''max server memory, it has the largest space for virtual memory that the server is permitted. Only can be used with the enabled settings of 'AWE. 
• For ''min server memory, it has a limit and used to stop memory from being released naturally. It is been rarely used since it is unguaranteed for a SQL server.

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• Posted on - 07/18/2011
• Question Category: MS SQL Server