The monitor alerts if there is a SQL Server relational database engine process running on the server and the TotalMemoryLimit configuration for the SSAS instance is higher than the specified threshold, in order to ensure that the SQL server process has sufficient memory.
Knowledge Base article:
Summary
The SQL Server Analysis Services TotalMemoryLimit configuration setting should be adjusted accordingly to accommodate memory allocations for other processes on the computer.
Causes
The SQL Server relational database engine in particular is a primary example of a common process that can consume memory resources on a computer also running SSAS, and in this circumstance, can lead to competition for physical memory by both heavy consumers of the same fixed resource. This requires that both database services be configured to allow one another sufficient physical memory to each perform their required functions. If the SSAS TotalMemoryLimit configuration is too high, then SSAS may consume excessive memory, leading to exhaustion of physical memory, due to competition with the relational database engine (or with other high memory consuming processes in fact also). The TotalMemoryLimit should be configured sufficiently low to allow for SQL Server’s configured memory consumption, plus a margin for the operating system and other typical process memory consumption that is necessary on the computer.
Resolutions
When memory configuration conflicts occur, resources and demands of users and other processes must be weighed by an administrator, and then the configuration of all relevant processes adjusted accordingly. The most common scenario for this type of problem on a Microsoft database server arise from instance(s) of SSAS and of the SQL Server relational database engine. Fortunately, both services do feature configuration settings that can be adjusted as necessary. There is no universally correct TotalMemoryLimit setting for SSAS, or max memory limit setting for the SQL relational database engine, so the threshold for this alert can be adjusted by an administrator to account for each specific environment. When it is encountered, the condition may be alleviated by any of many potential approaches:
Adjust the SQL Server instance(s) max memory limit setting to reduce consumption by those process(es).
Lower the SSAS instance(s) TotalMemoryLimit configuration setting to reduce consumption by those process(es).
Increase available memory on the server.
Adjust the threshold for the alert.
Disable the alert, for cases wherein it is determined to be unnecessary by an administrator.
SSAS 2008: Memory configuration conflict with SQL Server
The SQL Server Analysis Services instance TotalMemoryLimit configuration setting ({0} GB) leaves {1} GB out of {2} GB for the operating system and SQL Server, which is below the configured threshold for the alert.
Total memory on the server: {2} GB
Total memory usage: {5} GB
Memory used by non-SSAS processes: {4} GB
Memory used by SSAS: {3} GB
SSAS Memory Limit Low: {6} GB ({7}\%)
SSAS Memory Limit High: {0} GB ({8}\%)
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