March 20, 2013 at 9:58 am
We have SQL Server 2012 Enterprise 64-bit installed on a Windows Server 2008 Data Center 64-bit. For some reason AWE is allocating all the unused memory from the OS. It's my understanding that AWE was depricated from 2012, which would make sense since I can't find anywhere to disable it in the SQL config. Is there some other way that AWE would be installed and enabled? Some other applicaion? 2008 is not installed and this is a fresh install with 2012, not an upgrade.
Any thought you have would be appreciated.
Thanks.
March 20, 2013 at 10:34 am
How are you viewing that AWE is being used rather than regular memory allocation?
March 20, 2013 at 12:15 pm
I ran RamMap and it shows AWE using the amount of memory that I have specificed in SQL Server for the max memory setting (60GB). We allocated an additional 32GB (total of 96GB) to the server last night and the AWE allocation didn't increase when we did that so it apears to be using the Sql Server max memory configuration setting.
March 20, 2013 at 10:30 pm
64-bit SQL Server still uses the AWE APIs to allocate memory in Windows. No need to worry there. Just set 'max server memory' properly and off you go.
There are no special teachers of virtue, because virtue is taught by the whole community.
--Plato
March 21, 2013 at 3:48 am
Don't mix up the AWE memory allocation API, which is used any time that locked pages is enabled, and the AWE setting which is only for 32 bit SQL.
Yes, if you have locked pages enabled you will see that the memory is allocated using the AllocPhysicalPages API call rather than the VirtualAlloc, that's how locked pages work, pages allocated via AllocPhysicaPages can't be paged out by the OS.
Set max server memory to a sensible value and you're fine.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
March 21, 2013 at 10:13 am
Thanks for the replies! I finally found that this morning after poking around at some things. Just misleading that it shows AWE (which i interpreted as 32-bit) for locking the memory pages.
You guys are great as always.
March 21, 2013 at 11:56 am
The thing is, the memory allocated by AllocPhysicalPages is known as AWE memory, so it's not a misleading display, it's correct. AWE does not just mean the 32 bit memory extensions only.
In fact, other way around, the 32 bit memory extensions (to use memory above 4GB) use the AWE memory allocation APIs
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
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