W2K3 Enterprise 32-bit RAM Allocation

[cendrars]

Hello,

Customers are purchasing blades with 8GB of RAM and running W2K3 Enterprise
Edition to run terminal services. I am seeing build sheets with the /PAE
switch applied to these servers to support RAM beyond the 32-bit 4GB
threshold.

Is the /PAE switch indeed required for W2K3 Enterprise to address 8GB of
RAM? As the /PAE switch reduces kernel memory as result of additional RAM
addressing beyond the 4GB limit, this strikes me as a questionable move for
TS.

Does W2K3 Enterprise indeed require the /PAE switch to address 8GB of RAM?
Is this reduction in kernel memory an issue for TS?

I am recalling a white paper I read some time back referencing server sizing
for TS. My recollection is that W2K3 Enterprise with 32GB RAM allocation via
/PAE offers a 15% reduction in application service when compared to a
standard W2K3 server running 8GB. I am tracking down my recollection this
morning. If anyone here should care to comment on my recollection, I would
be grateful. Thanks.

 

[Jeff Pitsch]

Re: W2K3 Enterprise 32-bit RAM Allocation

/PAE doesn't reduce kernel memory, the /3gb switch does. Windows 2003
standard cannot address 8gb of ram so that would be a waste. If there
is a reduction of kernel space it is because of the PTE's needing to be
virtualized which does introduce a bit of performance hit but if the
terminal servers are memory constrained then this is what you need to
do. /PAE is required to address memory over 4gb on enterprise.

Jeff Pitsch
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP

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cendrars wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Customers are purchasing blades with 8GB of RAM and running W2K3 Enterprise
> Edition to run terminal services. I am seeing build sheets with the /PAE
> switch applied to these servers to support RAM beyond the 32-bit 4GB
> threshold.
>
> Is the /PAE switch indeed required for W2K3 Enterprise to address 8GB of
> RAM? As the /PAE switch reduces kernel memory as result of additional RAM
> addressing beyond the 4GB limit, this strikes me as a questionable move for
> TS.
>
> Does W2K3 Enterprise indeed require the /PAE switch to address 8GB of RAM?
> Is this reduction in kernel memory an issue for TS?
>
> I am recalling a white paper I read some time back referencing server sizing
> for TS. My recollection is that W2K3 Enterprise with 32GB RAM allocation via
> /PAE offers a 15% reduction in application service when compared to a
> standard W2K3 server running 8GB. I am tracking down my recollection this
> morning. If anyone here should care to comment on my recollection, I would
> be grateful. Thanks.