More information about "swapper"
http://wwwpdp.web.cern.ch/wwwpdp/ose/file/hpux10/UNX1000267.htmlPROBLEM TEXT
I do a `ps' and it reports a swapper process. Why is that there, when we
don't swap anymore?
RESOLUTION TEXT
It's correct that the swapper process does not swap entire processes any
more, but it does something similar. When available RAM is very low (below
the "minfree" threshold), the swapper begins deactivating processes. When a
process is targeted for deactivation, that process is removed from the run
queue. Since the process can no longer execute, the pages associated with
the process are less likely to be referenced. The normal paging mechanism
(vhand) will then be more likely to push a deactivated process's pages out
to the "swap" device.
HP considered changing the commands and documentation, but decided against
it. The term "swapper" is deeply ingrained in everyone's minds, and the
swapper still exists even though it no longer does that job by name...
-Arun
"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for"