On Linux systems, every memory address is virtual. They do not point to any address in the RAM directly. Whenever you access a memory location, a translation mechanism is performed in order to match the corresponding physical memory.

Let's start with a short story to introduce the virtual memory concept. Given a hotel, there can be a phone in each room, each with a private number. Any installed phone, of course, belongs to the hotel. None of them can be joined directly from outside the hotel.

If you need to contact an occupant of a room, let's say your friend, he must give you the hotel's switchboard number and the room number in which he is staying. Once you call the switchboard and give the room number of the occupant you need to talk to, the receptionist redirects your call to the private phone in the room. Only the receptionist and the...