November 12, 2006 at 7:03 pm
November 13, 2006 at 1:45 am
No you don't need Windos Server 2003 EE.
However you need to modify the boot.ini to include the /3gb switch (read carefully before executing: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274750 also read the REFERENCES at the bottum ). So an applicition can use more then 2gb of memory.
My former employer was operating for more then 2 years with an 4 gb installation and without the /3gb switch, this was an mistake of the dba, and experienced a great improvement in speed after modifying the boot.ini.
You don;t need to use the PAE switch.
November 13, 2006 at 3:37 am
you should also be able to use the /PAE or the /3gb switch to get to 3gb used ram. However, the two switches do different things so be careful.
Note that is you run a lot of out of process programs using the 3gb switch can sometimes cause problems.
[font="Comic Sans MS"]The GrumpyOldDBA[/font]
www.grumpyolddba.co.uk
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/grumpyolddba/
November 13, 2006 at 5:07 pm
November 13, 2006 at 9:49 pm
If you want it to be support by Microsoft in a production environment you will need to be using either Windows 2000 Advanced Server or Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition. See below:
<script type=text/javascript>loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');</script>By default, Windows can address a total of 4 gigabytes (GB) of virtual address space. By default, 2 GB of this is reserved for the kernel (operating system), and 2 GB is reserved for User mode programs such as Exchange.
When you put a /3GB switch into the Boot.ini file of the operating system, you reallocate the virtual address space distribution to give User mode programs 3 GB of space and limit the kernel to 1 GB. The /3GB switch is only required on computers that contain mailbox stores or public folder stores. This switch is not recommended on computers that do not have mailbox stores or public folder stores.
Important Only use the /3GB switch with the following operating systems:
| • | Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition |
| • | Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition |
| • | Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server |
| • | Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server |
| • | Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Server |
Caution We support the use of the /3GB switch in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition in a production environment for use by Active Directory. Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 is supported in a production environment when you use this functionality. Otherwise, the /3GB switch in Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition is only for development and testing purposes.
Do not use the /3GB switch with the following operating systems:
| • | Microsoft Windows 2000 Server |
| • | Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server |
Regards,
Jason P. Burnett
Senior DBA
November 14, 2006 at 3:11 am
sql 2k std can only support 2gb of ram regardless of the underlying o/s
The above extract seems to have come from an exchange site - still, on a dedicated sql server the /3gb switch is valid - you wouldn't want to use it if you had other apps running.
Always test changes in a production environment, establish a baseline, make change, compare.
With w2k3 I think you'll find there were changes with SP1 and release R2, std edition properly supports 4Gb Ram with sp1 or R2 - I suspect the above is out of date, especially as it mentions NT4, sorry.
check out http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/features/comparefeatures.mspx
[font="Comic Sans MS"]The GrumpyOldDBA[/font]
www.grumpyolddba.co.uk
http://sqlblogcasts.com/blogs/grumpyolddba/
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