Memory Usage, SBS 2000 & SQL 2000

Hello,
I am noticing that memory on our SQL 2000 (on an SBS 2000 box, a dual
processor box with 2GB of RAM) continues to grow over a few day period. I
have double-checked to make sure that SP3a is installed and am trying to
double-check to make sure that MDAC 2.71 is installed (correctly). First,
what's the best way to assure that each of these are installed without
errors or issues? Second, if those are then, what else could be causing the
memory to continue to grow over time?
I know that I can limit the SQL configuration to 1GB (for example) but
that's not really the key problem here. As I write this the memory has
grown from 287MB to 314MB and by the weekend will likely be over 1GB thus
forcing the box to be using 2.2 - 2.8 GB of RAM when it only has 2GB's.
Adding RAM is obviously an option but that looks like it's only going to be
a band-aid to the problem because it will just continue to eat the
additional memory unless I lock the SQL RAM usage however I feel the key
issue to determine why the RAM is continuing to grow day-by-day.
Thanks in advance!
ChrisI expect that the behavior you are seeing is normal. There is no cause for
alarm.
SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition is able to use up to 2GB of RAM. It will
not use more than that. SQL Server stores data and query plans in RAM. As
you use SQL Server it caches data and query plans to memory.
If SQL Server is the only thing running on the box you might want to leave
it as is. If you have other server apps running and consuming resources you
might want to limit memory usage to something that allows your other apps to
have enough memory. The other option, of course is to leave SQL Server
as-is and add additional memory for the other apps that you may have on this
server.
By the way, how big are your databases? If all of your user databases are
"small" (they all add up to 1GB or LESS) you should not see SQL Server
consume much over 1GB.
Bottom line: don't worry unless your server is RAM hungry. If it is RAM
hungry add some or limit SQL Server to "enough" memory.
--
Keith
"Chris Marsh" <cmarsh@.synergy-intl.com> wrote in message
news:OOfxH9alEHA.3968@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
>
> I am noticing that memory on our SQL 2000 (on an SBS 2000 box, a dual
> processor box with 2GB of RAM) continues to grow over a few day period. I
> have double-checked to make sure that SP3a is installed and am trying to
> double-check to make sure that MDAC 2.71 is installed (correctly). First,
> what's the best way to assure that each of these are installed without
> errors or issues? Second, if those are then, what else could be causing
the
> memory to continue to grow over time?
>
> I know that I can limit the SQL configuration to 1GB (for example) but
> that's not really the key problem here. As I write this the memory has
> grown from 287MB to 314MB and by the weekend will likely be over 1GB thus
> forcing the box to be using 2.2 - 2.8 GB of RAM when it only has 2GB's.
> Adding RAM is obviously an option but that looks like it's only going to
be
> a band-aid to the problem because it will just continue to eat the
> additional memory unless I lock the SQL RAM usage however I feel the key
> issue to determine why the RAM is continuing to grow day-by-day.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Chris
>|||Thank you...
The database(s) right now are just about a 1/2GB and I've noticed the SQL
box hitting about 1GB of RAM. I guess I will limit it for the moment so
that other apps don't eatup too much or go past the physical limit.
Chris
"Keith Kratochvil" <sqlguy.back2u@.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:e1VmGYblEHA.2968@.TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>I expect that the behavior you are seeing is normal. There is no cause for
> alarm.
> SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition is able to use up to 2GB of RAM. It will
> not use more than that. SQL Server stores data and query plans in RAM.
> As
> you use SQL Server it caches data and query plans to memory.
> If SQL Server is the only thing running on the box you might want to leave
> it as is. If you have other server apps running and consuming resources
> you
> might want to limit memory usage to something that allows your other apps
> to
> have enough memory. The other option, of course is to leave SQL Server
> as-is and add additional memory for the other apps that you may have on
> this
> server.
> By the way, how big are your databases? If all of your user databases are
> "small" (they all add up to 1GB or LESS) you should not see SQL Server
> consume much over 1GB.
> Bottom line: don't worry unless your server is RAM hungry. If it is RAM
> hungry add some or limit SQL Server to "enough" memory.
> --
> Keith
>
> "Chris Marsh" <cmarsh@.synergy-intl.com> wrote in message
> news:OOfxH9alEHA.3968@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am noticing that memory on our SQL 2000 (on an SBS 2000 box, a dual
>> processor box with 2GB of RAM) continues to grow over a few day period.
>> I
>> have double-checked to make sure that SP3a is installed and am trying to
>> double-check to make sure that MDAC 2.71 is installed (correctly).
>> First,
>> what's the best way to assure that each of these are installed without
>> errors or issues? Second, if those are then, what else could be causing
> the
>> memory to continue to grow over time?
>>
>> I know that I can limit the SQL configuration to 1GB (for example) but
>> that's not really the key problem here. As I write this the memory has
>> grown from 287MB to 314MB and by the weekend will likely be over 1GB thus
>> forcing the box to be using 2.2 - 2.8 GB of RAM when it only has 2GB's.
>> Adding RAM is obviously an option but that looks like it's only going to
> be
>> a band-aid to the problem because it will just continue to eat the
>> additional memory unless I lock the SQL RAM usage however I feel the key
>> issue to determine why the RAM is continuing to grow day-by-day.
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Chris
>>
>

Memory Usage, SBS 2000 & SQL 2000

Hello,
I am noticing that memory on our SQL 2000 (on an SBS 2000 box, a dual
processor box with 2GB of RAM) continues to grow over a few day period. I
have double-checked to make sure that SP3a is installed and am trying to
double-check to make sure that MDAC 2.71 is installed (correctly). First,
what's the best way to assure that each of these are installed without
errors or issues? Second, if those are then, what else could be causing the
memory to continue to grow over time?
I know that I can limit the SQL configuration to 1GB (for example) but
that's not really the key problem here. As I write this the memory has
grown from 287MB to 314MB and by the weekend will likely be over 1GB thus
forcing the box to be using 2.2 - 2.8 GB of RAM when it only has 2GB's.
Adding RAM is obviously an option but that looks like it's only going to be
a band-aid to the problem because it will just continue to eat the
additional memory unless I lock the SQL RAM usage however I feel the key
issue to determine why the RAM is continuing to grow day-by-day.
Thanks in advance!
Chris
I expect that the behavior you are seeing is normal. There is no cause for
alarm.
SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition is able to use up to 2GB of RAM. It will
not use more than that. SQL Server stores data and query plans in RAM. As
you use SQL Server it caches data and query plans to memory.
If SQL Server is the only thing running on the box you might want to leave
it as is. If you have other server apps running and consuming resources you
might want to limit memory usage to something that allows your other apps to
have enough memory. The other option, of course is to leave SQL Server
as-is and add additional memory for the other apps that you may have on this
server.
By the way, how big are your databases? If all of your user databases are
"small" (they all add up to 1GB or LESS) you should not see SQL Server
consume much over 1GB.
Bottom line: don't worry unless your server is RAM hungry. If it is RAM
hungry add some or limit SQL Server to "enough" memory.
Keith
"Chris Marsh" <cmarsh@.synergy-intl.com> wrote in message
news:OOfxH9alEHA.3968@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hello,
>
> I am noticing that memory on our SQL 2000 (on an SBS 2000 box, a dual
> processor box with 2GB of RAM) continues to grow over a few day period. I
> have double-checked to make sure that SP3a is installed and am trying to
> double-check to make sure that MDAC 2.71 is installed (correctly). First,
> what's the best way to assure that each of these are installed without
> errors or issues? Second, if those are then, what else could be causing
the
> memory to continue to grow over time?
>
> I know that I can limit the SQL configuration to 1GB (for example) but
> that's not really the key problem here. As I write this the memory has
> grown from 287MB to 314MB and by the weekend will likely be over 1GB thus
> forcing the box to be using 2.2 - 2.8 GB of RAM when it only has 2GB's.
> Adding RAM is obviously an option but that looks like it's only going to
be
> a band-aid to the problem because it will just continue to eat the
> additional memory unless I lock the SQL RAM usage however I feel the key
> issue to determine why the RAM is continuing to grow day-by-day.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Chris
>
|||Thank you...
The database(s) right now are just about a 1/2GB and I've noticed the SQL
box hitting about 1GB of RAM. I guess I will limit it for the moment so
that other apps don't eatup too much or go past the physical limit.
Chris
"Keith Kratochvil" <sqlguy.back2u@.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:e1VmGYblEHA.2968@.TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>I expect that the behavior you are seeing is normal. There is no cause for
> alarm.
> SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition is able to use up to 2GB of RAM. It will
> not use more than that. SQL Server stores data and query plans in RAM.
> As
> you use SQL Server it caches data and query plans to memory.
> If SQL Server is the only thing running on the box you might want to leave
> it as is. If you have other server apps running and consuming resources
> you
> might want to limit memory usage to something that allows your other apps
> to
> have enough memory. The other option, of course is to leave SQL Server
> as-is and add additional memory for the other apps that you may have on
> this
> server.
> By the way, how big are your databases? If all of your user databases are
> "small" (they all add up to 1GB or LESS) you should not see SQL Server
> consume much over 1GB.
> Bottom line: don't worry unless your server is RAM hungry. If it is RAM
> hungry add some or limit SQL Server to "enough" memory.
> --
> Keith
>
> "Chris Marsh" <cmarsh@.synergy-intl.com> wrote in message
> news:OOfxH9alEHA.3968@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> the
> be
>

Memory problem related to DBCC CHECKDB

I have been monitoring my SQL server and noticing abrupt drops in Available
Memory -- happening about once a week.
I could not figure out what was causing this until I discovered that the low
memory condition corresponded to the exact time that I run a weekly DBCC CH
ECKDB command on a database.
Scenario:
1. Available Memory starts at about 1000MB (this is normal)
2. Run DBCC CHECKDB on a particular database (only occurs on this one).
3. Available Memory suddently drops to less than 200MB free!
4. The Memory is never freed up until I re-start SQL Server.
Has anyone ever seen this problem before?
Thanks,
DanIt is by Design.
SQL Server will not relinquish memory once allocated, unless there is a requ
est from the OS
--
HTH
Satish Balusa
Corillian Corp.
"Dan Carollo" <dan.carollo@.verizon.net> wrote in message news:uw$X%23mS5DHA.
2764@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
I have been monitoring my SQL server and noticing abrupt drops in Available
Memory -- happening about once a week.
I could not figure out what was causing this until I discovered that the low
memory condition corresponded to the exact time that I run a weekly DBCC CH
ECKDB command on a database.
Scenario:
1. Available Memory starts at about 1000MB (this is normal)
2. Run DBCC CHECKDB on a particular database (only occurs on this one).
3. Available Memory suddently drops to less than 200MB free!
4. The Memory is never freed up until I re-start SQL Server.
Has anyone ever seen this problem before?
Thanks,
Dan|||Dan,
What is wrong with this?
If you still have available memory ... your performance is not hurting.
Most of this memory is most likely in buffer cache.
-Lars
"Dan Carollo" <dan.carollo@.verizon.net> wrote in message news:uw$X%23mS5DHA.
2764@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
I have been monitoring my SQL server and noticing abrupt drops in Available
Memory -- happening about once a week.
I could not figure out what was causing this until I discovered that the low
memory condition corresponded to the exact time that I run a weekly DBCC CH
ECKDB command on a database.
Scenario:
1. Available Memory starts at about 1000MB (this is normal)
2. Run DBCC CHECKDB on a particular database (only occurs on this one).
3. Available Memory suddently drops to less than 200MB free!
4. The Memory is never freed up until I re-start SQL Server.
Has anyone ever seen this problem before?
Thanks,
Dan|||Further to what other replies have said, it is buffer pool memory. DBCC CHEC
KDB reads every allocated page in the database using parallel threads and si
gnificant readahead and so the buffer pool grows to accomodate this.
As long as you're not short of memory, there's no big deal.
--
Paul Randal
Dev Lead, Microsoft SQL Server Storage Engine
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Dan Carollo" <dan.carollo@.verizon.net> wrote in message news:uw$X#mS5DHA.27
64@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
I have been monitoring my SQL server and noticing abrupt drops in Available
Memory -- happening about once a week.
I could not figure out what was causing this until I discovered that the low
memory condition corresponded to the exact time that I run a weekly DBCC CH
ECKDB command on a database.
Scenario:
1. Available Memory starts at about 1000MB (this is normal)
2. Run DBCC CHECKDB on a particular database (only occurs on this one).
3. Available Memory suddently drops to less than 200MB free!
4. The Memory is never freed up until I re-start SQL Server.
Has anyone ever seen this problem before?
Thanks,
Dan