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RAM Usage low

Author

Topic

kodaz
Starting Member

3 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 02:20:29

Hi guys,

I've got a really odd problem I'm hoping to get some help with. We currently have a 2005 install that we use about 10GB of production databases in and the server only seems to be using 140MB of the avaiable 8GB of RAM.

This seems very odd as usually SQL 2005 can't get enough RAM.

Any ideas?

heavymind
Posting Yak Master

115 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 04:51:08

does sql server suffer from memory preasure? May be it does not need more RAM now? Check min/max memory server settings

Thanks, Vadym
MCITP DBA 2005/2008
Chief DBA at http://www.db-staff.com

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 06:41:32

quote:
Originally posted by kodaz

Hi guys,

I've got a really odd problem I'm hoping to get some help with. We currently have a 2005 install that we use about 10GB of production databases in and the server only seems to be using 140MB of the avaiable 8GB of RAM.

This seems very odd as usually SQL 2005 can't get enough RAM.

Any ideas?

If you are not getting any performance bottlenecks then ther isn't any problem if SQL SERVEr is using less RAM....
Moreover you can configure AWE to enable more RAM if u r using the server as data server only..please do read before configuring AWE....

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

sodeep
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7174 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 07:36:20

quote:
Originally posted by kodaz

Hi guys,

I've got a really odd problem I'm hoping to get some help with. We currently have a 2005 install that we use about 10GB of production databases in and the server only seems to be using 140MB of the avaiable 8GB of RAM.

This seems very odd as usually SQL 2005 can't get enough RAM.

Any ideas?

Actually SQL Server is Memory Hog but in your case you are just having 10GB of databases and not too much activities going on in your server.
Check out Perf counter:

Total Server Memory

sodeep
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7174 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 07:38:13

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by kodaz

Hi guys,

I've got a really odd problem I'm hoping to get some help with. We currently have a 2005 install that we use about 10GB of production databases in and the server only seems to be using 140MB of the avaiable 8GB of RAM.

This seems very odd as usually SQL 2005 can't get enough RAM.

Any ideas?

If you are not getting any performance bottlenecks then ther isn't any problem if SQL SERVEr is using less RAM....
Moreover you can configure AWE to enable more RAM if u r using the server as data server only..please do read before configuring AWE....

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

You only need to worry about this only when User mode of SQL Server is not grabing more than 2GB in 32-bit System. In 64-bit this is not required.

saurabhsrivastava
Posting Yak Master

216 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 11:33:36

Where did you get this 140 MB number. From Task Manager or Perfmon. FYI usage depends on your workload. For Example when restart SQL Server it grabs minimum amount of memory and as workload grows memory consumption grows and you notice sql server garbbed large chunk of memory. If you want more detail explanation let us know we will forward you some good links to help you understand SQL and windows memory architecture.

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 13:58:11

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by kodaz

Hi guys,

I've got a really odd problem I'm hoping to get some help with. We currently have a 2005 install that we use about 10GB of production databases in and the server only seems to be using 140MB of the avaiable 8GB of RAM.

This seems very odd as usually SQL 2005 can't get enough RAM.

Any ideas?

If you are not getting any performance bottlenecks then ther isn't any problem if SQL SERVEr is using less RAM....
Moreover you can configure AWE to enable more RAM if u r using the server as data server only..please do read before configuring AWE....

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

You only need to worry about this only when User mode of SQL Server is not grabing more than 2GB in 32-bit System. In 64-bit this is not required.

hey...the original post didn't mention the about the processor....

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

sodeep
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7174 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 14:28:01

I am not talking about processor.

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 14:41:03

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

I am not talking about processor.

pls clarify...32/64 bit SQL SERVER or Processor

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

sodeep
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7174 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 14:48:14

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

I am not talking about processor.

pls clarify...32/64 bit SQL SERVER or Processor

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

I am talking about Memory in 32-bit vs 64-bit system.

tfountain
Constraint Violating Yak Guru

491 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 16:15:23

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

I am not talking about processor.

pls clarify...32/64 bit SQL SERVER or Processor

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

I am talking about Memory in 32-bit vs 64-bit system.

<rhetorical>Exactly what are the key factors that differentiate processors?</rhetorical>

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-25 : 23:24:39

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

I am not talking about processor.

pls clarify...32/64 bit SQL SERVER or Processor

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

I am talking about Memory in 32-bit vs 64-bit system.

ok..but what do you refer to when u say " 32 bit/64bit system"

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

kodaz
Starting Member

3 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-26 : 00:27:50

64bit os and SQL install, server has been running for weeks and as of today the sqlservr process is showing 141,720K of memory usage. This is a production database that is heavily used by about 30 people.

Min memeory setting is 2GB, max 6GB. AWE is not enabled as this is not a 32bit system.

I'm currently running perfmon to see what a days usage looks like and to get some more info.

any other areas I can look into?

heavymind
Posting Yak Master

115 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-26 : 05:10:02

quote:
Originally posted by kodaz

64bit os and SQL install, server has been running for weeks and as of today the sqlservr process is showing 141,720K of memory usage. This is a production database that is heavily used by about 30 people.

Min memeory setting is 2GB, max 6GB. AWE is not enabled as this is not a 32bit system.

I'm currently running perfmon to see what a days usage looks like and to get some more info.

any other areas I can look into?

Is 2 gb min memory running or only configured value?

Thanks, Vadym
MCITP DBA 2005/2008
Chief DBA at http://www.db-staff.com

saurabhsrivastava
Posting Yak Master

216 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-26 : 15:33:04

Colelct follwoing counters:

Available Memory:
SQL Server \TotaL Memory:
SQL Server \Target Memmory:
PLE
Free Pages/sec
Free Page stalls/sec
Memory Pages\input
Memory Pages\output

ouaiyufish
Starting Member

2 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-27 : 13:39:36

I got the similar problem!
SERVER: Ram 16G
OS: windows server 2003 enterprise 32bit
DB: sql2005 32bit
awe enable run_value 1
min server memory = max server memory run_value 12G
added the '/pea /awe' in boot.ini
server has been running for weeks ,the server shows 3G of memory usage

need help
thanks

saurabhsrivastava
Posting Yak Master

216 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-28 : 00:16:59

capture above perfmon counters and post in forum

sodeep
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

7174 Posts

Posted - 2009-02-28 : 09:17:56

quote:
Originally posted by ouaiyufish

I got the similar problem!
SERVER: Ram 16G
OS: windows server 2003 enterprise 32bit
DB: sql2005 32bit
awe enable run_value 1
min server memory = max server memory run_value 12G
added the '/pea /awe' in boot.ini
server has been running for weeks ,the server shows 3G of memory usage

need help
thanks

Did you enable /3GB Switch as well? Like Saurabh said you need to post counters for memory?

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-03-01 : 00:44:00

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

quote:
Originally posted by ouaiyufish

I got the similar problem!
SERVER: Ram 16G
OS: windows server 2003 enterprise 32bit
DB: sql2005 32bit
awe enable run_value 1
min server memory = max server memory run_value 12G
added the '/pea /awe' in boot.ini
server has been running for weeks ,the server shows 3G of memory usage

need help
thanks

Did you enable /3GB Switch as well? Like Saurabh said you need to post counters for memory?

Does the /3GB switch will have any affect as AWE is already there

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

kodaz
Starting Member

3 Posts

Posted - 2009-03-01 : 18:05:39

Capturing counters today, will post back.

ahmad.osama
Posting Yak Master

183 Posts

Posted - 2009-03-02 : 05:12:08

quote:
Originally posted by ahmad.osama

quote:
Originally posted by sodeep

quote:
Originally posted by ouaiyufish

I got the similar problem!
SERVER: Ram 16G
OS: windows server 2003 enterprise 32bit
DB: sql2005 32bit
awe enable run_value 1
min server memory = max server memory run_value 12G
added the '/pea /awe' in boot.ini
server has been running for weeks ,the server shows 3G of memory usage

need help
thanks

Did you enable /3GB Switch as well? Like Saurabh said you need to post counters for memory?

Does the /3GB switch will have any affect as AWE is already there

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

hey sodeep am waiting for ur reply.....I realy wanna clarify my doubt

Regards,
Ahmad Osama

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