"In addition to swapping, virtual memory is used to manage all pages of memory, which are required for file caching, process isolation, and even network communication. Anything that queues data, you can be assured, traverses the virtual memory system. Depending on a server's role, virtual memory functionality may not be optimal. An administrator can dramatically improve overall system performance by adjusting certain virtual memory manager settings.
"To optimally configure your Virtual Memory Manager (VMM), it's necessary to understand how it does its job. We're using Linux for example's sake, but the concepts apply across the board, though some slight architectural differences will exist between the Unixes."
