Hi,

I found a good microsoft article that may help you understand what I am saying, if you care. It's really old news though.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms187499(v=sql.100).aspx

So basically, an old 32 bit Windows 2000 Server running the same copy of SQL Server can use more memory than a 64 bit newer 2008 R2 server.

SQL Server Enterprise was designed to use AWE to take advantage of up to 64 GB memory on an old Windows 2000 server. Now that the OS can easily handle more than 4GB itself, it disables this ability of SQL Server unless you pay more for Enterprise.

In the end, it's not much different than "upgrading" your XP computer and if, for example, it turned out the new version of Windows required you to pay more for the version that supports Media Player.

If you already knew this and want to dance around semantics and politics, I really have no interest in arguing, but if you do care, I wanted you to understand my disappointment to find out a relatively new server with 64 bit OS is artificially inferior, memory wise, because instead of working with you to unleash SQL Server it artificially limits your memory now unless you pony up for Server Enterprise. Maybe it's too old school to matter.

Peace