Question

SBS 2008 Memory Usage

Asked by: hainsNET

Hi.

I have an HP server (ML350) with 4GB RAM running SBS 2008. The server seems to perform OK for the users (which is the main thin I guess), but when I look at the Physical Memory Usage History in Task Manager, the pale blue line is hovering way up the top.
Does it report differently to other versions of Windows Server? Normally a line up this high is a bad sign, but I thought 4GB should be enough. The only other thing actually running on the box is AVG, so am curious about the usage level.
Can anybody shed any light on this question please?

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Asked On
2009-10-14 at 00:20:57ID24810353
Tags

SBS

,

2008

,

RAM

Topic

SBS Small Business Server

Participating Experts
4
Points
250
Comments
5

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Answers

 

by: leewPosted on 2009-10-14 at 00:25:17ID: 25567994

Exchange 2007 is a memory hog.  Indeed, 4 GB of RAM is MINIMUM required - from reports I've heard, it will not install with less.  I recommend ALL my clients gettings SBS 2008 get AT LEAST 8 GB of RAM, depending on size (generally, for RAM, double the Microsoft minimum for small/light usage).

 

by: afootPosted on 2009-10-14 at 00:51:10ID: 25568095

Absolutely agree with leew.  From my own personal experience with running SBS 2008, you really need 8GB to get a decent performance and leave enough memory to cope with the workload.  When you look at what your SBS 2008 machine runs, it is an awful lot; both SQL and Exchange hog the memory and then there's the SharePoint side of things too not to mention the Remote Web Workplace etc etc.

If finances are a problem at the minute, or if you're happy with the current performance of your server, then there is nothing to worry about with your 4GB and the high usage that you were concerned about when you opened this post.

Regards,

Ady

 

by: RussianbluePosted on 2009-10-14 at 03:45:53ID: 25568950

if it's any consolation, look at it this way:  we finally have an OS which actually makes use of high speed RAM and for which said RAM is quite affordable.  this has been a long time coming!  i know that doesn't help you much TODAY, but it's good knowing we have the potential.  

personally, i INDULGED myself with my most recent server purchase and spec'd it with 24GB of RAM. i did this so i could run multiple VM's and am saying that only to provide the following data point. i found it very interesting that day to day to use sees ram hovering around 8GB - 20+ users, 27 GB private mailbox store.  and i don't even have full SQL 2008 installed yet.  We are building a custom db to put on SQL which will probably get that day to day number up to 12gb or more.  


in the mean time, depending on what config your DIMMs are right now, an upgrade to 8GB could be quite affordable!
http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=E82320C6A5CA7304

 

by: MPECSIncPosted on 2009-10-14 at 06:45:27ID: 25570365

Our SBS 2008 installs have all been at 6GB minimum.

Most are running 8GB with some running 16GB.

At 4GB, SBS 2008 will be utilizing the swap file _a lot_. Over time this will kill the performance of the box due to defragmentation of the swap file (if not on its own partition) and overall file fragmentation.

Philip

 

by: hainsNETPosted on 2009-10-14 at 15:20:57ID: 31641374

Thanks everybody. I know I should know better by now, but I am really disappointed with Microsoft recommending (not just saying minimum) but recommending 4GB of RAM for such a box when it should be higher - say 8GB.
As I say, it seems to perform alright, but the high RAM usage does look a little scary.
Cheers,

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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