Windows Server – Manejo de Paging File en 64-bit OS

Muchos de mis alumnos y pares me preguntan a diario como manejar el paging file en los nuevos sistemas operativos de 64-bit. Durante largos años hemos dejado al Sistema Operativo manejar el PF y ante una eventual necesidad de hacer troubleshooting, lo configurábamos a mano aplicando la formula:

Memoria RAM*1,5 = Paging File.

En las siguiente líneas explicaré Porqué es necesario el Page File y Cómo calcularlo de manera correcta.  Voy a mantener el artículo original en Inglés de un Blog de Microsoft en el cual colaboré oportunamente.

As Microsoft Stated on this KB Document -> KB 2860880

Why a Page File?

“The page file can be used to “back” (or support) system crash dumps and extend how much system-committed memory (also known as “virtual memory”) a system can back. It also enables the system to remove infrequently accessed modified pages from physical memory to let the system use physical memory more efficiently for more frequently accessed pages.”

What happen with the new OS technology -> 64-bits OS

64-bit versions of Windows and Windows Server support more physical memory (RAM) than 32-bit versions support. However, the reason to configure the page file size has not changed. It has always been about supporting a system crash dump, if it is necessary, or extending the system commit limit, if it is necessary.

How to Page File is or should calculated….

System committed memory

The system commit limit is the sum of physical memory and all page files combined. It represents the maximum system-committed memory (known as the “system commit charge”) that the system can back. The system commit charge is the total committed or “promised” memory of all committed virtual memory in the system. If the system commit charge reaches the system commit limit, the system and processes might not obtain committed memory. This condition can cause hangs, crashes, and other malfunctions. Therefore, make sure that you set the system commit limit large enough to back the system commit charge during peak usage.

The system commit charge and system commit limit can be measured on the Performance tab in Task Manager or by using “\Memory\Committed Bytes” and “\Memory\Commit Limit” performance counters.

The “\Memory\% Committed Bytes In Use” counter is a ratio of the “\Memory\Committed Bytes” to “\Memory\Commit Limit” values.

For Windows 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2 the page file size formula should be:

(Max value of Committed Bytes + additional 20% buffer to accommodate any workload bursts)-RAM size

For example: If the server has 32 GB RAM and the maximum of Committed Bytes is 34 GB (after 1 week of confidence metric captured with Perfmon), then the recommended page file will be:

(34*1.2)-32)  =  8,8GB

Espero les sirva para demistificar algo que es simplemente…. sencillo

Link a mi Blog -> https://marioganem.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/windows-server-manejo-de-paging-file-en-64-bit-os/