W2K3 Enterprise 32-bit RAM Allocation

[Guest 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.

[Guest 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

 

Forums not enough?

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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.