Impossible Total Server Memory values with realistic Target Server Memory

  • Hello DBAs,

    I really hope someone can help me with this very strange problem.

    Two instances show incredible high 'total server memory' values while having normal resp. low 'target server memory'. One on them has a target of 5 GB and a total of 33 GB while having not even a single user database. The other has a 5 GB target but a 139 GB total, which is almost the size of the server's total RAM + pagefile.

    I tried restarting the instances and rebooting. After a few minutes it always happens again. Has anyone of you ever seen this before?

    It is SQL Server 2008 (10.0.2723) 64 Bit on Windows 2008. There are 9 database engine instances and 8 SSAS instances. The server has 128 GB of RAM.

    There are performance problems causing SSAS cubes to fail sometimes. Before I set appropriate memory settings to the database instances, Task manager showed 0 MB of free RAM, now it depends on the load.

    I also checked 'page life expectancy' and 'buffer cache hit ratio'.

    All instances have a 'buffer cache hit ratio' of exactly 100% and high 'page life expectancy'. Most instances show the same value for 'total server memory' and 'target server memory'. Also it is approximately the value I have set for 'max server memory'.

  • I could actually almost believe those. SQL's a memory hog.

    What's your max memory set to on the two instances?

    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

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Max server memory is set to 12288 MB for the two problem instances. The other instances are either also set to 12288 MB or 16183 MB.

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