loda117 (7/18/2012)
why isn't SQL letting go of some of the memory once it allocates it 🙁
Because it's designed not to. What you're seeing there is documented, by design behaviour.
See the book chapter I linked to.
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