realationship between page tables and proccess address space and hierarchial page tables

Question

I understand that each process has its own, virtual address space along with its own page table for this virtual address space which maps virtual addresses to pages in frames in physical memory.

But I don't understand whether page tables can be swapped out, Or in particular, whether page tables are part of the process address space.

I am confused because of the following scenario: Consider a 2-level hierarchical page table, such that every table spans across a single page.

Does the existence of a top-level page table induce the existence of another page table - a page table which has an entry that corresponds to a frame in which the top-level table resides?

In this case, does any of this page tables (top/bottom level) part of the process address space?

Answer 1

Page tables can are are often paged out. The problem with such paging is that it creates a chicken and egg problem. If the page table can be paged out, the address of the table must have a logical address. Therefore a page table is needed to find the address of the page table.

There are a number of ways to solve this problem. Multi level tables are are one such way.

Does the existence of a top-level page table induce the existence of another page table - a page table which has an entry that corresponds to a frame in which the top-level table resides?

That question is entirely system specific. Some systems do not support multiple-level pge table