Does SQL release Ram when its needed

Does SQL release Ram when its needed elsewhere (like Exchange's store.exe)?
I have a server with 2.6 gigs of ram and SQL is using 1 GB idle.SQL will release RAM if the system starts paging. Otherwise, it will
continue to hold allocated memory.
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
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"Matt" <anonymous@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BA71FDB6-DC93-43A1-9B47-B76DC485B5FF@.microsoft.com...
> Does SQL release Ram when its needed elsewhere (like Exchange's
store.exe)?
> I have a server with 2.6 gigs of ram and SQL is using 1 GB idle.|||"Geoff N. Hiten" <SRDBA@.Careerbuilder.com> wrote in message
news:ey1xSF7$DHA.212@.TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> SQL will release RAM if the system starts paging. Otherwise, it will
> continue to hold allocated memory.
>
Just to follow up, this means that on machines which are not dedicated
database servers SQL Server should have an upper limit placed on its memory.
Just reserve 256M or 512M for Sql Server. If you reserve too little, then
you will have excessive physical IO. If you reserve more than enough, you
won't get any added benefit.
David