windows 2008 and sql 2008 AWE memory

Question

We have a development server running windows server 2008 enterprise (x86) with SQL Server 2008 Developer (x86) installed.

The box has 8GB of ram installed, which windows sees. In order to get SQL Server to use memory above 2GB do I need to enable AWE or will it just pick it up automatically?

Thanks,

UPDATE

I found this article today which discusses in detail what AWE does. http://blogs.msdn.com/psssql/archive/2009/09/11/fun-with-locked-pages-awe-task-manager-and-the-working-set.aspx

Solution

In perfmon look at SQLServer:Memory Manager:Total Server Memory (KB) is this >4Gb

Comments

[user355002]

total server memory is < 1GB. Target Server memory is at 1.6GB

[user355002]

I went ahead and turned on AWE and limited it to 6.5GB. Target Server memory is, curiously, now 5.5GB. So it sounds like I do have to use AWE to see the ram. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction for self help.

[Ryan Ferretti]

Yes AWE is required to use over 2 Gigs of RAM. Always will on the x86 platform.

[user355002]

Also found out that the setting for limiting server memory is a suggestion. If SQL thinks it can't safely allocate that, then it backs down. Hence the reason why Target Server Memory shows 5.5GB instead of the 6.5GB I assigned it. Which is great because it keeps me from shooting myself in the foot. ;)