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I have an app that's local to the SQL Server and thus has a Shared Memory connection to it. I was wondering whether the RAM taken by the connection (including data transfers) counts against the max memory limit set for the SQL Server.

The reason I am asking is that the SQL Server is maxed out on memory (e.g. Target Server Memory = Total Server Memory and other metrics). If the RAM taken up by Shared Memory connection counts against it, wouldn't I be better off using TCP connection to the SQL Server?

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Network buffers consume memory as well! –  Martin Smith Jan 31 at 14:33

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The "max server memory" option only applies to the buffer pool, not to memory reserved for connections.

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Yes, but only from SQL2012 onwards, if I remember correctly from Bob Ward's 2013 PASS session (gave me a headache!)

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