• Yup. Perfectly normal.

    Max server memory is the max size of the buffer pool, the memory area that contains the data cache, plan cache and a whole bunch of other caches. SQL also uses memory outside the buffer pool for things like backup buffers, thread stack, linked server drivers, CLR and a few other things. This is outside of the buffer pool, so it's not part of 'max server memory'

    On 32-bit SQL, that's referred to as MemToLeave (memory to leave unallocated when assigning the buffer pool). On 64 bit that term has no meaning.

    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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