A super-server or sometimes called a service dispatcher is a

type of daemon run generally on Unix-like systems.

Usage

It starts other servers when needed, normally with access to

them checked by 'tcpd'. It uses no (or very little)

resources when in idle state. This can be ideal for

workstations used for local web development, client/server

development or low traffic daemons with occasional usage

such as ident and SSH.

Performance

There is a slight delay in connecting, thus when compared to

pre-spawn servers, a 'super-server' setup may not be all

that quick in reaction to connection attempts, especially

when under high load. Some servers, such as hpa-tftpd,

therefore takeover the socket and listen on it themselves

for some specified interval, anticipating more connections

to come.