Need help configuring memory space for mssearch & SQL

We recently installed a new dual-CPU Xenon server with 4 GB of RAM. I have the
SQL server configured for "Automatic" memory space allocation. Currently, SQL
is using about 1.5 GB of memory and mssearch is using about 20 MB. mssearch is
being hit much more intensively then the SQL server, and it is paging heavily.
I know how to set a static memory space size for the SQL server, but I don't
know how to set how much memory mssearch will use. Should I just set a static
memory size for SQL to restrict its size, or is there some way to specify how
much mssearch should use?
What are reasonable memory space settings for SQL and mssearch on a 4GB system?
On our system, searching is much more intensive then other SQL operations.
Phil Sherrod
(phil.sherrod 'at' sandh.com)
http://www.dtreg.com (decision tree modeling)
http://www.nlreg.com (nonlinear regression)
http://www.LogRover.com (web traffic analysis)
http://www.NewsRover.com (Usenet newsreader)
Phil,
You can set how much memory the MSSearch service will use via
sp_fulltext_service 'resource_usage' <value>, where <value> is 1 - 5 with 3
being the default. If you set the resource_usage level to 5 (dedicated), the
MSSearch service will use up to a max of 512Mb of RAM. Note, this RAM is
below the 3Gb limit and the service will ONLY use this amount of RAM if no
other service is using or requesting additional RAM as it is passive in
nature. The max of 512Mb is a hard-coded limit and cannot be increased. This
is why SQL Server's memory needs to be set to "fixed memory" and not dynamic
memory as SQL Server will request more memory, if it needs it and therefore
the MSSearch will not be able to use that memory.
Q. Should I just set a static memory size for SQL to restrict its size, or
is there some way to specify how much mssearch should use?
A. No, you need to do both, set static memory for sql server as well as set
sp_fulltext_service 'resource_usage' to 5.
Q. What are reasonable memory space settings for SQL and mssearch on a 4GB
system?
A. For SQL Server that would depend upon your processes, but for the
MSSearch service the max is 512Mb.
Regards,
John
"Phil Sherrod" <phil.sherrod@.REMOVETHISsandh.com> wrote in message
news:c7WdnRoLcZRzNAfcRVn-3g@.giganews.com...
> We recently installed a new dual-CPU Xenon server with 4 GB of RAM. I
have the
> SQL server configured for "Automatic" memory space allocation. Currently,
SQL
> is using about 1.5 GB of memory and mssearch is using about 20 MB.
mssearch is
> being hit much more intensively then the SQL server, and it is paging
heavily.
> I know how to set a static memory space size for the SQL server, but I
don't
> know how to set how much memory mssearch will use. Should I just set a
static
> memory size for SQL to restrict its size, or is there some way to specify
how
> much mssearch should use?
> What are reasonable memory space settings for SQL and mssearch on a 4GB
system?
> On our system, searching is much more intensive then other SQL
operations.
> --
> Phil Sherrod
> (phil.sherrod 'at' sandh.com)
> http://www.dtreg.com (decision tree modeling)
> http://www.nlreg.com (nonlinear regression)
> http://www.LogRover.com (web traffic analysis)
> http://www.NewsRover.com (Usenet newsreader)