We have a suffering SQL 2005 server. It is on a Win2003 Std server in a 
Win2003 domain.

Performance is marginal as avg pages/sec is well over 3000/sec and the avg 
disk queue length is over 2. The server has the max 4GB of RAM. 

My boss sent me a note asking me to look into using PAE so we could increase 
the amount usuable RAM...theoretically. This would mean upgrading to 2003 
Enterprise adding some RAM and using PAE.

Has anyone done anything like this? If so what were the complications and 
benefits?

-- 

Check your Buffer Manager: Page Life Expectancy counter.  That will tell you 
if more RAM could benefit you.

Likely it will.  Note that for a 32-bit server /PAE and its SQL counterpart 
AWE Enabled will only add disk cache, not true RAM for all SQL functions. 
Since you are on SQL 2005, I would look at migrating to a 64-bit platform. 
That way, the extra memory can be used for all SQL purposes, not just disk 
cache.

Note that if you are already on x-64, /PAE has no effect.  You just add RAM 
and it works.


-- 
Geoff N. Hiten
Principal SQL Infrastructure Consultant
Microsoft SQL Server MVP

"mwebb" <mwebb@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:260892FA-2C5D-44E0-95A8-5AAD7115E1B6@microsoft.com...
> We have a suffering SQL 2005 server. It is on a Win2003 Std server in a
> Win2003 domain.
>
> Performance is marginal as avg pages/sec is well over 3000/sec and the avg
> disk queue length is over 2. The server has the max 4GB of RAM.
>
> My boss sent me a note asking me to look into using PAE so we could 
> increase
> the amount usuable RAM...theoretically. This would mean upgrading to 2003
> Enterprise adding some RAM and using PAE.
>
> Has anyone done anything like this? If so what were the complications and
> benefits?
>
> -- 
> 

On Apr 5, 11:49=A0am, "Geoff N. Hiten" <SQLCrafts...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Check your Buffer Manager: Page Life Expectancy counter. =A0That will tel=
l you
> if more RAM could benefit you.
>
> Likely it will. =A0Note that for a 32-bit server /PAE and its SQL counter=
part
> AWE Enabled will only add disk cache, not true RAM for all SQL functions.
> Since you are on SQL 2005, I would look at migrating to a 64-bit platform=
..
> That way, the extra memory can be used for all SQL purposes, not just dis=
k
> cache.
>
> Note that if you are already on x-64, /PAE has no effect. =A0You just add=
 RAM
> and it works.
>
> --
> Geoff N. Hiten
> Principal SQL Infrastructure Consultant
> Microsoft SQL Server MVP
>
> "mwebb" <mw...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>
> news:260892FA-2C5D-44E0-95A8-5AAD7115E1B6@microsoft.com...
>
>
>
> > We have a suffering SQL 2005 server. It is on a Win2003 Std server in a
> > Win2003 domain.
>
> > Performance is marginal as avg pages/sec is well over 3000/sec and the =
avg
> > disk queue length is over 2. The server has the max 4GB of RAM.
>
> > My boss sent me a note asking me to look into using PAE so we could
> > increase
> > the amount usuable RAM...theoretically. This would mean upgrading to 20=
03
> > Enterprise adding some RAM and using PAE.
>
> > Has anyone done anything like this? If so what were the complications a=
nd
> > benefits?
>
> > --- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

if you could do 64 bit upgrade that would be really good.

If your hardware is x64 compatible (which is likely unless its very old) you 
should consider upgrading to 64 bit Std Edn, as it allows you to use up to 
32Gb RAM without needing any expensive Enterprise Edition licenses (either 
Windows or SQL).

Cheers,
Greg Linwood
SQL Server MVP

"mwebb" <mwebb@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:260892FA-2C5D-44E0-95A8-5AAD7115E1B6@microsoft.com...
> We have a suffering SQL 2005 server. It is on a Win2003 Std server in a
> Win2003 domain.
>
> Performance is marginal as avg pages/sec is well over 3000/sec and the avg
> disk queue length is over 2. The server has the max 4GB of RAM.
>
> My boss sent me a note asking me to look into using PAE so we could 
> increase
> the amount usuable RAM...theoretically. This would mean upgrading to 2003
> Enterprise adding some RAM and using PAE.
>
> Has anyone done anything like this? If so what were the complications and
> benefits?
>
> -- 
>