Is VHANDFRAC --> VHANDL dynamic?

[Jim Rosenberg]

I have seen paging behavior under AT&T UNIX V.3.2 on a 6386 where the number
of free memory pages as reported by sar seems to sit forever drastically
below what I had *thought* was the low-water mark.  This always seems to
happen after paging orgies, which continue long after processes that caused
all the paging have terminated.  According to the AT&T documentation:

"VHANDFRAC determines the initial value for the system variable VHANDL.
VHANDL is set to the maximum user-available memory divided by VHNDFRAC or
the value of GPGSHI, whichever is larger." (Operations/System Administration
Guide, under Paging Parameters.)

This sort of implies but doesn't really say that VHANDL is computed at boot
time and thereafter left alone.  Is this really how it happens?  Can VHANDL
get recalculated?  How do I find out what the "real" low-water mark is?  How
else can I explain a quiet system just sitting there with far fewer free
pages than the low-water mark?

The V.3 paging parameters mystify me.  I get more JUNK in my mail about
training seminars, but I would *beg* my management to go to a good one-day
tutorial on V.3 paging parameters.  Help!
-- 
Jim Rosenberg             #include <disclaimer.h>      --cgh!amanue!oglvee!jr
Oglevee Computer Systems                                        /      /
151 Oglevee Lane, Connellsville, PA 15425                    pitt!  ditka!
INTERNET:  cgh!amanue!oglvee!jr at dsi.com                      /      /