The SQL Server MEMORY_ALLOCATION_EXT wait is one of many performance related waits on SQL Server.
Wait statistics, in the context of SQL Server, refer to the amount of time that a query spends waiting to access data in the database. When a client application requests data from the database, the request is placed in a queue and the client application must wait for its turn to access the data. The time that the query spends waiting is called a “wait” and is tracked by SQL Server. This information can be used to identify potential performance bottlenecks and optimize the performance of the database. Wait statistics are commonly used by database administrators to diagnose and troubleshoot performance issues in SQL Server.
In SQL Server, the MEMORY_ALLOCATION_EXT wait type indicates that a request for additional memory was made, but it was unable to be granted because there was not enough memory available. This wait type can occur when a query or operation requires more memory than is currently allocated to it, and SQL Server must wait for additional memory to be freed up in order to fulfill the request. The MEMORY_ALLOCATION_EXT wait type can be a sign that SQL Server is running low on memory and may benefit from additional memory being allocated to it. It can also indicate that there are memory-intensive queries or operations running on the server that are using up a large amount of memory, potentially causing performance issues.
More details avilable on this wait type here: http://DatabaseHealth.com/Waits/MEMORY_ALLOCATION_EXT.html
Do you have a favorite tool for monitoring your wait statistics on SQL Server over time? This is something that you can use Database Health monitor to do. More details at http://DatabaseHealth.com.
If you are having performance issues associated with this wait type and need some help, please contact us with our 30 minute consultation link.
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