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Do I Need to Enable AWE? 2

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JohnBates

MIS
Feb 27, 2000
1,995
US
Hi everyone,

First, I know this question has been addressed in other posts. Maybe I'm thick but I'm still not clear on some things.

These are the specs:
Windows 2003 Enterprise SP1 32 bit
SQL Server 2005 Standard SP2

24 GB memory
SQL Server is configured to allocate memory dynamically.

The performance counters I have ran do NOT indicate a memory bottleneck.

However, a consultant has recommended that we make the following changes "to enable SQL Server 2005 Standard to be able to use > 3GB of memory if needed."

I thought it was not necessary to enable AWE if the OS is 2003 Enterprise but later found that only applies if it is 64 bit. I have 32 bit Enterprise.

In addition, another post indicates that I will only gain 1 additional Gig by enabled AWE (ie 4GB, not 3GB) but will not be able to use > 4GB. Is that correct?

Please review his suggestions (below) and reply back.

Thanks very much. John

Recommendation: This server has 24GB of memory available. In order for
SQL to access above the 3GB you need to enable AWE for the SQL server

Also Enable the Lock Pages in Memory Option – this is required to be able to

enable AWE on the SQL server. This is done through group policy for either the

local machine or group policy on an Organization Unit the server resides

within.
 
Lock pages in memory won't do anything for you as you have SQL 2005 Standard.

You need the /PAE switch, and enable AWE as Jay said.

This article shows how to configure SQL Server memory, and how much memory each part of the cache will be able to use.

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
 
Thanks guys. MS does make it a bit difficult but you have helped to clear the confusion.

The consultant also recommended that (after we make the above-mentioned changes) we change the SQL Server memory setting from dynamically allocate to min=4GB and max=16GB.

I suppose that would be OK.

John
 
Thats also fine.

You are just making sure SQL Server ALWAYS has a predefined (Fix) amount of memory at all times.

That way you are making sure that if another non-SQL process eats all of its memory up SQL Server will not give it most of its unused memory that it may not get back quick enough if it needed too.

Stops SQL Server from starving itself.

Thanks

J. Kusch
 
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