Is AWE needed in 64-bit SQL?

  • Can someone explain to me, in simple terms, why enabling AWE is a good idea in 64-bit SQL?

    The following msdn link supports this idea, although, with due respect to the author who apparently understands this in depth, I could not follow the arguments made:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/slavao/archive/2005/04/29/413425.aspx

    __________________________________________________________________________________
    SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
    Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
    Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]

  • Marios Philippopoulos (11/9/2009)


    Can someone explain to me, in simple terms, why enabling AWE is a good idea in 64-bit SQL?

    The following msdn link supports this idea, although, with due respect to the author who apparently understands this in depth, I could not follow the arguments made:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/slavao/archive/2005/04/29/413425.aspx

    Not sure I can explain in simple terms, but there are other blogs and articles which illustrate why in 64 bit, you still use awe. the link you provided is not the best explanation that I have seen. dotn have the other links to hand atm, but there are good reasons for setting awe.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    [highlight]Recommended Articles on How to help us help you and[/highlight]
    [highlight]solve commonly asked questions[/highlight]

    Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help by Jeff Moden[/url]
    Managing Transaction Logs by Gail Shaw[/url]
    How to post Performance problems by Gail Shaw[/url]
    Help, my database is corrupt. Now what? by Gail Shaw[/url]

  • Silverfox (11/9/2009)


    Marios Philippopoulos (11/9/2009)


    Can someone explain to me, in simple terms, why enabling AWE is a good idea in 64-bit SQL?

    The following msdn link supports this idea, although, with due respect to the author who apparently understands this in depth, I could not follow the arguments made:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/slavao/archive/2005/04/29/413425.aspx

    Not sure I can explain in simple terms, but there are other blogs and articles which illustrate why in 64 bit, you still use awe. the link you provided is not the best explanation that I have seen. dotn have the other links to hand atm, but there are good reasons for setting awe.

    Well, I don't want to implement something I don't understand.

    I understand why the "Lock Pages in Memory" right needs to be given to the SQL service account; it's to prevent memory paging out to disk.

    I just don't see why AWE is needed. There has to be an easy way to explain this.

    __________________________________________________________________________________
    SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
    Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
    Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]

  • I don't think you actually enable AWE, that sp_configure option has no effect on a 64 bit system. It is used behind the scenes in 64 bit to lock pages in memory. This post is probably the definitive article:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2009/09/11/fun-with-locked-pages-awe-task-manager-and-the-working-set.aspx

    this refers to the blog you mention

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • george sibbald-364359 (11/9/2009)


    I don't think you actually enable AWE, that sp_configure option has no effect on a 64 bit system. It is used behind the scenes in 64 bit to lock pages in memory. This post is probably the definitive article:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2009/09/11/fun-with-locked-pages-awe-task-manager-and-the-working-set.aspx

    this refers to the blog you mention

    Thank you, so, in effect, that means that checking or not checking the AWE checkbox in SSMS should have no effect in 64-bit SQL?

    __________________________________________________________________________________
    SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
    Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
    Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]

  • I don't have 64 bit systems to check what actually happens, but that is definitely what the CSS blog says.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

  • george sibbald-364359 (11/9/2009)


    I don't have 64 bit systems to check what actually happens, but that is definitely what the CSS blog says.

    Here is another link that is also quite relevant and consistent with the one you mentioned:

    http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/grumpyolddba/archive/2008/01/06/configuring-windows-2003-x64-for-sql-server.aspx

    __________________________________________________________________________________
    SQL Server 2016 Columnstore Index Enhancements - System Views for Disk-Based Tables[/url]
    Persisting SQL Server Index-Usage Statistics with MERGE[/url]
    Turbocharge Your Database Maintenance With Service Broker: Part 2[/url]

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply