The /3gb option relates to the split between the user and kernel parts
of the 4GB virtual address space that all Windows applications,
including SQL Server, are given. Usually the split is 50/50 i.e. 2GB
user and 2GB kernel so the /3gb switch gives 3GB User and 1GB kernel.
Depending on what else the server is doing, only having 1GB for the
kernel can actually lead to performance problems of it own as the OS
has to restrict memory buffers etc. to keep within the 1GB limit.
The amount of physical memory is irrelevant in this context and I would
suggest that the answer to your blob problem might be either scaling up
to the Enterprise Edition of SQL Server and beefing up the server or,
possibly, compressing the blob data, or limiting it's size, as high up
the application stack as possible. i.e. if you were accepting
photographic images on a website then get the web server to compress
the images before sending them to the database or simly impose a limit.
I guess, as always, it is up to you to decide what the cost/benefits
are for your unique application...
Malcolm
www.dbghost.com
True Change Management for SQL Server
