SQL Server Consuming all the memory on the Box

  • Hi,

    I've recently performed a shrink operation on a database after truncating a table holding 40 GIG of transient data.

    The shrink operation succeeded after about 20 minutes, reducing the size of the database from 75 GIG down to 21 GIG. Since then SQL Server has been consuming 55 GIG of memory from the 64 GIG on the box.

    The only way I know of reducing this would be to re-start the SQL service on the box.

    As It's a production box I would have to fail over all Dbs to the mirror and was wondering if there is an easier way.

    Any Ideas would be appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Simon

  • How do you know SQL Server is taking 55 GB out of 64 GB, even if that's about how much should be allocated to the sql instance anyways.

  • Simon

    That's how SQL Server works. It grabs as much memory as you allow it, and doesn't give it back unless the operating system asks for it. If you don't want it to use 55GB (maybe you have other applications SQL Server components that also need memory) then set a lower value for max server memory using sp_configure.

    John

  • Unless you set a limit on the amount of memory you're going to allocate to SQL Server, it will always use all the memory. That's how it works.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
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  • Several people have already explained how SQL Server treats memory, so I won't repeat that.

    But I am going to question your question. You want to reduce the memory used by SQL Server - why? It's a production server, and I assume (hope) that you have SQL Server installed on a dedicated server. So that means that if SQL Server would release the memory, it'd be unused. So why bother?


    Hugo Kornelis, SQL Server/Data Platform MVP (2006-2016)
    Visit my SQL Server blog: https://sqlserverfast.com/blog/
    SQL Server Execution Plan Reference: https://sqlserverfast.com/epr/

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