Skip to content
Home » Resources » Max Server Memory Matrix

Max Server Memory Matrix

Have you ever wondered how much memory to assign your SQL Server instance?

Here’s a script to do it for you. If you want to understand how it works, read on!

This is based on an algorithm that Jonathan Kehayias wrote in his book, Troubleshooting SQL Server: A Guide for the Accidental DBA, and repeated in his blog post, How much memory does my SQL Server actually need?.

In broad strokes, you should give the operating system the following (quoted from the blog post):

  • 1 GB of RAM for the OS
  • plus 1 GB for each 4 GB of RAM installed from 4 – 16 GB
  • plus 1 GB for every 8 GB RAM installed above 16 GB RAM

Whatever is left over, can go to your dedicated SQL Server instance. If you’re running anything else on the server, you will need to adjust the Max Server Memory downwards accordingly.

Keep in mind that some internal and peripheral devices may have additional memory requirements (see the blog post above).

Please feel free to use and share this link.

RAM Installed in System Max Server Memory
4 GB 2 GB
8 GB 5 GB
12 GB 8 GB
16 GB 11 GB
20 GB 14 GB
24 GB 18 GB
28 GB 21 GB
32 GB 25 GB
36 GB 28 GB
40 GB 32 GB
44 GB 35 GB
48 GB 39 GB
52 GB 42 GB
56 GB 46 GB
60 GB 49 GB
64 GB** 53 GB
68 GB 56 GB
72 GB 60 GB
76 GB 63 GB
80 GB 67 GB
84 GB 70 GB
88 GB 74 GB
92 GB 77 GB
96 GB 81 GB
100 GB 84 GB
104 GB 88 GB
108 GB 91 GB
112 GB 95 GB
116 GB 98 GB
120 GB 102 GB
124 GB 105 GB
128 GB** 109 GB
132 GB 112 GB
136 GB 116 GB
140 GB 119 GB
144 GB 123 GB
148 GB 126 GB
152 GB 130 GB
156 GB 133 GB
160 GB 137 GB
164 GB 140 GB
168 GB 144 GB
172 GB 147 GB
176 GB 151 GB
180 GB 154 GB
184 GB 158 GB
188 GB 161 GB
192 GB 165 GB
196 GB 168 GB
200 GB 172 GB
204 GB 175 GB
208 GB 179 GB
212 GB 182 GB
216 GB 186 GB
220 GB 189 GB
224 GB 193 GB
228 GB 196 GB
232 GB 200 GB
236 GB 203 GB
240 GB 207 GB
244 GB 210 GB
248 GB 214 GB
252 GB 217 GB
256 GB 221 GB
260 GB 224 GB
264 GB 228 GB
268 GB 231 GB
272 GB 235 GB
276 GB 238 GB
280 GB 242 GB
284 GB 245 GB
288 GB 249 GB
292 GB 252 GB
296 GB 256 GB
300 GB 259 GB
304 GB 263 GB
308 GB 266 GB
312 GB 270 GB
316 GB 273 GB
320 GB 277 GB
324 GB 280 GB
328 GB 284 GB
332 GB 287 GB
336 GB 291 GB
340 GB 294 GB
344 GB 298 GB
348 GB 301 GB
352 GB 305 GB
356 GB 308 GB
360 GB 312 GB
364 GB 315 GB
368 GB 319 GB
372 GB 322 GB
376 GB 326 GB
380 GB 329 GB
384 GB 333 GB
388 GB 336 GB
392 GB 340 GB
396 GB 343 GB
400 GB 347 GB
404 GB 350 GB
408 GB 354 GB
412 GB 357 GB
416 GB 361 GB
420 GB 364 GB
424 GB 368 GB
428 GB 371 GB
432 GB 375 GB
436 GB 378 GB
440 GB 382 GB
444 GB 385 GB
448 GB 389 GB
452 GB 392 GB
456 GB 396 GB
460 GB 399 GB
464 GB 403 GB
468 GB 406 GB
472 GB 410 GB
476 GB 413 GB
480 GB 417 GB
484 GB 420 GB
488 GB 424 GB
492 GB 427 GB
496 GB 431 GB
500 GB 434 GB
504 GB 438 GB
508 GB 441 GB
512 GB 445 GB
516 GB 448 GB
520 GB 452 GB
524 GB 455 GB
528 GB 459 GB
532 GB 462 GB
536 GB 466 GB
540 GB 469 GB
544 GB 473 GB
548 GB 476 GB
552 GB 480 GB
556 GB 483 GB
560 GB 487 GB
564 GB 490 GB
568 GB 494 GB
572 GB 497 GB
576 GB 501 GB
580 GB 504 GB
584 GB 508 GB
588 GB 511 GB
592 GB 515 GB
596 GB 518 GB
600 GB 522 GB
604 GB 525 GB
608 GB 529 GB
612 GB 532 GB
616 GB 536 GB
620 GB 539 GB
624 GB 543 GB
628 GB 546 GB
632 GB 550 GB
636 GB 553 GB
640 GB 557 GB
644 GB 560 GB
648 GB 564 GB
652 GB 567 GB
656 GB 571 GB
660 GB 574 GB
664 GB 578 GB
668 GB 581 GB
672 GB 585 GB
676 GB 588 GB
680 GB 592 GB
684 GB 595 GB
688 GB 599 GB
692 GB 602 GB
696 GB 606 GB
700 GB 609 GB
704 GB 613 GB
708 GB 616 GB
712 GB 620 GB
716 GB 623 GB
720 GB 627 GB
724 GB 630 GB
728 GB 634 GB
732 GB 637 GB
736 GB 641 GB
740 GB 644 GB
744 GB 648 GB
748 GB 651 GB
752 GB 655 GB
756 GB 658 GB
760 GB 662 GB
764 GB 665 GB
768 GB 669 GB
772 GB 672 GB
776 GB 676 GB
780 GB 679 GB
784 GB 683 GB
788 GB 686 GB
792 GB 690 GB
796 GB 693 GB
800 GB 697 GB
804 GB 700 GB
808 GB 704 GB
812 GB 707 GB
816 GB 711 GB
820 GB 714 GB
824 GB 718 GB
828 GB 721 GB
832 GB 725 GB
836 GB 728 GB
840 GB 732 GB
844 GB 735 GB
848 GB 739 GB
852 GB 742 GB
856 GB 746 GB
860 GB 749 GB
864 GB 753 GB
868 GB 756 GB
872 GB 760 GB
876 GB 763 GB
880 GB 767 GB
884 GB 770 GB
888 GB 774 GB
892 GB 777 GB
896 GB 781 GB
900 GB 784 GB
904 GB 788 GB
908 GB 791 GB
912 GB 795 GB
916 GB 798 GB
920 GB 802 GB
924 GB 805 GB
928 GB 809 GB
932 GB 812 GB
936 GB 816 GB
940 GB 819 GB
944 GB 823 GB
948 GB 826 GB
952 GB 830 GB
956 GB 833 GB
960 GB 837 GB
964 GB 840 GB
968 GB 844 GB
972 GB 847 GB
976 GB 851 GB
980 GB 854 GB
984 GB 858 GB
988 GB 861 GB
992 GB 865 GB
996 GB 868 GB
1000 GB 872 GB
1004 GB 875 GB
1008 GB 879 GB
1012 GB 882 GB
1016 GB 886 GB
1020 GB 889 GB
1024 GB 893 GB

** Standard Edition supports a maximum of 64 GB RAM, for SQL Server 2012 and below. SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition and higher supports up to 128 GB RAM.