Dê uma olhada na página de manual de top
:
o: VIRT -- Virtual Image (kb)
The total amount of virtual memory used by the task. It includes all code,
data and shared libraries plus pages that have been swapped out. (Note: you
can define the STATSIZE=1 environment variable and the VIRT will be
calculated from the /proc/#/state VmSize field.)
VIRT = SWAP + RES.
p: SWAP -- Swapped size (kb)
The swapped out portion of a task's total virtual memory image.
Além disso, aqui está um comentário do Wiki ArchLinux, intitulado: Suspender e Hibernar .
trecho
- Suspend to RAM method cuts power to most parts of the machine aside from the RAM, which is required to restore the machine's state. Because of the large power savings, it is advisable for laptops to automatically enter this mode when the computer is running on batteries and the lid is closed (or the user is inactive for some time).
- Suspend to disk method saves the machine's state into swap space and completely powers off the machine. When the machine is powered on, the state is restored. Until then, there is zero power consumption.
Com base nesses comentários, presumo que sua lógica esteja correta. Eu geralmente nunca uso o hibernate e opto apenas por usar o método suspend to RAM, e assim eu nunca vi um pico em meu uso de swap, e isso faz sentido, dado o acima.
Exemplo
$ top
top - 23:40:12 up 15:33, 5 users, load average: 2.49, 2.62, 2.70
Tasks: 307 total, 3 running, 304 sleeping, 0 stopped, 0 zombie
Cpu(s): 47.6%us, 4.6%sy, 0.0%ni, 47.8%id, 0.0%wa, 0.0%hi, 0.0%si, 0.0%st
Mem: 7987492k total, 7528920k used, 458572k free, 161664k buffers
Swap: 5963772k total, 40156k used, 5923616k free, 1100816k cached