What is SQL Server memory pressure?

Memory pressure occurs when SQL Server or the operating system does not have enough memory to satisfy workload demands efficiently.

Symptoms can include reduced cache residency, increased physical I/O, memory grant waits, query spills, or operating-system pressure. Causes may include an inappropriate max server memory setting, oversized memory grants, concurrent analytical workloads, other processes consuming memory, or simply insufficient physical RAM.

Troubleshooting requires examining both SQL Server and operating-system memory indicators.