Subject: Re: What's in my swap
To: None <joel@carnat.net>
From: Joseph A. Dacuma <jadacuma@ched.gov.ph>
List: current-users
Date: 08/01/2006 19:19:15
> Hi,
>
> I'd like to know why my (server) machine uses swap.
> I checked 'top' and 'vmstat' but didn't find any information related to
> content.
>
> How do I know what's in ?
>
> TIA,
> 	Jo
>

Hi Joel!


Swap space: From what I have read, HP docs (and other Unix books been
reading recently).....

Swap space is an area on disk that temporarily holds a process memory
image. When physical memory demand is sufficiently low, process memory
images are brought back into physical memory from the swap area on disk.
Having sufficient swap space enables the system to keep some physical
memory free at all times.

AFAIK, "swapping" is a situation where your system tries to run programs
and manipulate files larger than your physical RAM.

On your NetBSD box, you can check by issuing the command "top". It Gives
you an idea of what's going on with your system pertaining to process(es)
and resource utilization such as CPU and memory.

You can also invoke "pstat -sh" to check on your swap usage.


HTH.


Regards,

Joseph