Get-DbaMemoryCondition

Synopsis

Retrieves memory pressure notifications and utilization metrics from SQL Server resource monitor ring buffers.

Description

Analyzes SQL Server’s internal resource monitor ring buffers to identify memory pressure events and track memory utilization over time. This helps DBAs diagnose performance issues caused by insufficient memory, excessive paging, or memory pressure conditions that trigger automatic memory adjustments.

The function returns detailed memory statistics including physical memory usage, page file utilization, virtual address space consumption, and SQL Server-specific memory allocation metrics. Each record includes the exact timestamp when memory conditions were recorded, making it valuable for correlating memory pressure with performance degradation during specific time periods.

This command is based on a query provided by Microsoft support and queries the sys.dm_os_ring_buffers DMV to extract resource monitor notifications.

Syntax

Get-DbaMemoryCondition
    [-SqlInstance] <DbaInstanceParameter[]>
    [[-SqlCredential] <PSCredential>]
    [-EnableException]
    [<CommonParameters>]

Examples

Example: 1

PS C:\> Get-DbaMemoryCondition -SqlInstance sqlserver2014a

Returns the memory conditions for the selected instance

Example: 2

PS C:\> Get-DbaRegServer -SqlInstance sqlserver2014a -Group GroupName | Get-DbaMemoryCondition | Out-GridView

Returns the memory conditions for a group of servers from SQL Server Central Management Server (CMS). Send output to GridView.

Required Parameters

-SqlInstance

The target SQL Server instance or instances.

Optional Parameters

-SqlCredential

Login to the target instance using alternative credentials. Accepts PowerShell credentials (Get-Credential).
Windows Authentication, SQL Server Authentication, Active Directory - Password, and Active Directory - Integrated are all supported.
For MFA support, please use Connect-DbaInstance..

-EnableException

By default, when something goes wrong we try to catch it, interpret it and give you a friendly warning message.
This avoids overwhelming you with “sea of red” exceptions, but is inconvenient because it basically disables advanced scripting.
Using this switch turns this “nice by default” feature off and enables you to catch exceptions with your own try/catch.

Outputs

PSCustomObject

Returns one object per memory pressure notification record found in the SQL Server resource monitor ring buffers. Each object represents a single memory condition event with complete memory utilization metrics at that point in time.

Properties:

• ComputerName: The computer name of the SQL Server instance
• InstanceName: The SQL Server instance name
• SqlInstance: The full SQL Server instance name (computer\instance)
• Runtime: DateTime when the query was executed in the instance
• NotificationTime: Calculated DateTime of when the memory pressure event occurred
• NotificationType: Type of memory notification (e.g., Low Physical Memory, Low Page File, Low Virtual Address Space)
• MemoryUtilizationPercent: Current memory utilization as a percentage (0-100)
• TotalPhysicalMemory: Total physical RAM in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• AvailablePhysicalMemory: Free physical RAM in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• TotalPageFile: Total page file size in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• AvailablePageFile: Free page file size in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• TotalVirtualAddressSpace: Total virtual address space in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• AvailableVirtualAddressSpace: Free virtual address space in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• NodeId: NUMA node identifier (for systems with multiple memory nodes)
• SQLReservedMemory: SQL Server reserved memory in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• SQLCommittedMemory: SQL Server committed memory in bytes; dbasize object convertible to KB, MB, GB, TB
• RecordId: Unique identifier for this record in the ring buffer
• Type: Record type from the resource monitor ring buffer
• Indicators: Memory pressure indicators value (bit flags representing specific pressure conditions)
• RecordTime: Ring buffer record timestamp in milliseconds (raw tick count)
• CurrentTime: Current system time in milliseconds (sys.ms_ticks, for reference and time-based calculations) Size properties return dbasize objects that automatically format as human-readable units (Bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB) when displayed or accessed via properties like .Kilobytes, .Megabytes, .Gigabytes, .Terabytes.