AWE and the 3GB switch 2

[mutley1]

Sorry Experts,

Hardware config is something I have never really got into as I am still developing.......

We have a server running Windows Server 2003 EE, SQL2000 EE with 16GB of RAM and it seems to be struggling. Somewhat due to poor design but that part we are aware of. My question is regarding hardware config.

We have 16GB RAM and in the boot.ini file the /PAE is set.

 multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /fastdetect /PAE /NoExecute=OptOut

Should I have the /3GB switch in there as well as the server never seems to break 8GB mem usage, SQL is stressed but doesn't really have a high mem usage?

TIA for advice / pointers.

Rgds,

M.

 

[Mich]

I'm assuming you have the 32-bit edition.

A 32-bit system can directly address only 4GB of memory. 2GB is reserved for OS and kernel leaving only 2GB of addressable memory for SQL. The /3GB switch will restrict kernel to 1GB leaving you with 3GB of addressable memory.

The PAE switch makes available 32GB of memory in 32-bit Enterprise edition. HOWEVER, the memory above the initial 2GB (or 3GB with /3GB) is not addressable i.e. that memory can be utilized for caching, but not for running processes.

To answer your question, you can provide your server with an additional gig of addressable memory using the /3GB switch, but sounds like you have other issues.

You mention SQL is stressed, what leads you to believe it is a memory issue?

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[mutley1]

Mich,

Just started here so still getting to the root of things. Whilst I know the DB side of things, not good with hardware (except the basics).....funny "upbringng" into my role.

I was just wondering why the server has 16GB mem and only ever shows as using a max of about 8 - 9GB even if it is stressed?

Cheers,
M

 

[Mich]

Perhaps you don't have a memory issue. Let's do a quick check, on the Performance tab in Task Manager, how much available memory is listed?

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[mutley1]

Thanks for the patience Mich,

The SQL mem is set to no min and no max......when I look at task manager it says SQL is only using 150MB, but looking through the AWE posts here, Denny said that this is normal and one needs to look at perfmon to see exactly what is being used (thread 1410731).

The total mem used in Task Manager is 8GB but as I say the total available is 16GB. I'm probably being really thick but not sure why the other 8 is not being used.....by SQL or not...

Thanks,

M

 

[Mich]

Have to admit I'm kind of at a loss on this one.

Is your page file relatively inactive?

There is a tool called consume.exe that comes with Windows 2K3 Resource kit. You can run it against your memory to see if its usage spikes above 8GB.

If your page file is inactive and you can get a spike above 8GB I would think your memory is running fine. However, this is really digging deep into the "guts" of Server 2K3 and I'm getting out of my realm.

I suggest posting this question in the Windows Server 2003 forum. I bet those guys could answer the question.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[mrdenny]

What is the estimated Page life expediency? What's the buffer cache hit ratio? How large is the database?

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

My Blog

 

[mutley1]

Apparently the page file keeps running out of control. It is set to no specific size but regularly hits 2.5GB, but physical mem never exceeds 8.4GB even though we have 16GB. The buffer cache (over the last 24 hrs.) is ranging from 99.89 to 99.69 so not really too bad.

Page life expectancy wasn't in the profiler trace unfortunately.

Thanks,

M

 

[mutley1]

Think I may have found the issue.....

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...47-3F1F-48B8-9E4C-DC32875E1961&displaylang=en

Thanks,

M.

 

[Mich]

Glad you found it!

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[mutley1]

have a star for the patience!!!!

Cheers Mich!

 

[Mich]

Thanks. I was pulling my hair out on this one.

-If it ain't broke, break it and make it better.

 

[mutley1]

The other DBA found it but never mentioned it to me........so was doing the same here......off to the salon to get extensions put in so I'm not bald as a coot any more! LOL

Thx,

M.

 

[mrdenny]

Page life expectancy can be found in perfmon, not profiler.

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

My Blog

 

[mutley1]

Sorry Denny - typo. I meant perfmon.

Thanks,

M.

 

[mrdenny]

It should be in the SQL Server Buffer Manager counters.

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

My Blog

 

[mutley1]

Thanks as always Denny

 

[mrdenny]

np.

Denny
MVP
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)
MCTS (SQL 2005 / Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0: Configuration / Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007: Configuration)
MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005) / Database Developer (SQL 2005)

My Blog