Stationary analysis of the shortest queue first service policy

We analyze the so-called shortest queue first (SQF) queueing discipline whereby a unique server addresses queues in parallel by serving at any time, the queue with the smallest workload. Considering a stationary system composed of two parallel queues and assuming Poisson arrivals and general service time distributions, we first establish the functional equations satisfied by the Laplace transforms of the workloads in each queue. We further specialize these equations to the so-called “symmetric case,” with same arrival rates and identical exponential service time distributions at each queue; we then obtain a functional equation $$\begin{aligned} M(z) = q(z) \cdot M \circ h(z) + L(z) \end{aligned}$$ for unknown function M, where given functions \(q, L\) , and \(h\) are related to one branch of a cubic polynomial equation. We study the analyticity domain of function M and express it by a series expansion involving all iterates of function \(h\) . This allows us to determine empty queue probabilities along with the tail of the workload distribution in each queue. This tail appears to be identical to that of the head-of-line preemptive priority system, which is the key feature desired for the SQF discipline.     

Tail asymptotics of the waiting time and the busy period for the {{\varvec{M/G/1/K}}} queues with subexponential service times

We study the asymptotic behavior of the tail probabilities of the waiting time and the busy period for the $M/G/1/K$ queues with subexponential service times under three different service disciplines: FCFS, LCFS, and ROS. Under the FCFS discipline, the result on the waiting time is proved for the more general $GI/G/1/K$ queue with subexponential service times and lighter interarrival times. Using the well-known Laplace–Stieltjes transform (LST) expressions for the probability distribution of the busy period of the $M/G/1/K$ queue, we decompose the busy period into a sum of a random number of independent random variables. The result is used to obtain the tail asymptotics for the waiting time distributions under the LCFS and ROS disciplines.     

The Israeli queue with retrials

The so-called “Israeli queue” (Boxma et al. in Stoch Model 24(4):604–625, 2008; Perel and Yechiali in Probab Eng Inf Sci, 2013; Perel and Yechiali in Stoch Model 29(3):353–379, 2013) is a multi-queue polling-type system with a single server. Service is given in batches, where the batch sizes are unlimited and the service time of a batch does not depend on its size. After completing service, the next queue to be visited by the server is the one with the most senior customer. In this paper, we study the Israeli queue with retrials, where the system is comprised of a “main” queue and an orbit queue. The main queue consists of at most \(M\) groups, where a new arrival enters the main queue either by joining one of the existing groups, or by creating a new group. If an arrival cannot join one of the groups in the main queue, he goes to a retrial (orbit) queue. The orbit queue dispatches orbiting customers back to the main queue at a constant rate. We analyze the system via both probability generating functions and matrix geometric methods, and calculate analytically various performance measures and present numerical results.     

A decomposition theorem and related results for the discriminatory processor sharing queue

In this paper, we study a discriminatory processor sharing queue with Poisson arrivals,K classes and general service times. For this queue, we prove a decomposition theorem for the conditional sojourn time of a tagged customer given the service times and class affiliations of the customers present in the system when the tagged customer arrives. We show that this conditional sojourn time can be decomposed inton+1 components if there aren customers present when the tagged customer arrives. Further, we show that thesen+1 components can be obtained as a solution of a system of non-linear integral equations. These results generalize known results about theM/G/1 egalitarian processor sharing queue.     

Sojourn times in a processor sharing queue with multiple vacations

We study an M/G/1 processor sharing queue with multiple vacations. The server only takes a vacation when the system has become empty. If he finds the system still empty upon return, he takes another vacation, and so on. Successive vacations are identically distributed, with a general distribution. When the service requirements are exponentially distributed we determine the sojourn time distribution of an arbitrary customer. We also show how the same approach can be used to determine the sojourn time distribution in an M/M/1-PS queue of a polling model, under the following constraints: the service discipline at that queue is exhaustive service, the service discipline at each of the other queues satisfies a so-called branching property, and the arrival processes at the various queues are independent Poisson processes. For a general service requirement distribution we investigate both the vacation queue and the polling model, restricting ourselves to the mean sojourn time.     

Analysis of an M/G/1 queue with vacations and multiple phases of operation

This paper deals with an M / G / 1 queue with vacations and multiple phases of operation. If there are no customers in the system at the instant of a service completion, a vacation commences, that is, the system moves to vacation phase 0. If none is found waiting at the end of a vacation, the server goes for another vacation. Otherwise, the system jumps from phase 0 to some operative phase i with probability \(q_i\), \(i = 1,2, \ldots ,n.\) In operative phase i, \(i = 1,2, \ldots ,n\), the server serves customers according to the discipline of FCFS (First-come, first-served). Using the method of supplementary variables, we obtain the stationary system size distribution at arbitrary epoch. The stationary sojourn time distribution of an arbitrary customer is also derived. In addition, the stochastic decomposition property is investigated. Finally, we present some numerical results.     

Analysis of a dynamic assignment of impatient customers to parallel queues

Consider a number of parallel queues, each with an arbitrary capacity and multiple identical exponential servers. The service discipline in each queue is first-come-first-served (FCFS). Customers arrive according to a state-dependent Poisson process. Upon arrival, a customer joins a queue according to a state-dependent policy or leaves the system immediately if it is full. No jockeying among queues is allowed. An incoming customer to a parallel queue has a general patience time dependent on that queue after which he/she must depart from the system immediately. Parallel queues are of two types: type 1, wherein the impatience mechanism acts on the waiting time; or type 2, a single server queue wherein the impatience acts on the sojourn time. We prove a key result, namely, that the state process of the system in the long run converges in distribution to a well-defined Markov process. Closed-form solutions for the probability density function of the virtual waiting time of a queue of type 1 or the offered sojourn time of a queue of type 2 in a given state are derived which are, interestingly, found to depend only on the local state of the queue. The efficacy of the approach is illustrated by some numerical examples.     

Join the shortest queue among k parallel queues: tail asymptotics of its stationary distribution

We are concerned with an $M/M$ -type join the shortest queue ( $M/M$ -JSQ for short) with $k$ parallel queues for an arbitrary positive integer $k$ , where the servers may be heterogeneous. We are interested in the tail asymptotic of the stationary distribution of this queueing model, provided the system is stable. We prove that this asymptotic for the minimum queue length is exactly geometric, and its decay rate is the $k$ th power of the traffic intensity of the corresponding $k$ server queues with a single waiting line. For this, we use two formulations, a quasi-birth-and-death (QBD for short) process and a reflecting random walk on the boundary of the $k+1$ -dimensional orthant. The QBD process is typically used in the literature for studying the JSQ with two parallel queues, but the random walk also plays a key roll in our arguments, which enables us to use the existing results on tail asymptotics for the QBD process.     

The fluid limit of the multiclass processor sharing queue

Consider a single server queueing system with several classes of customers, each having its own renewal input process and its own general service times distribution. Upon completing service, customers may leave, or re-enter the queue, possibly as customers of a different class. The server is operating under the egalitarian processor sharing discipline. Building on prior work by Gromoll et al.?(Ann. Appl. Probab. 12:797?C859, 2002) and Puha et al.?(Math. Oper. Res. 31(2):316?C350, 2006), we establish the convergence of a properly normalized state process to a fluid limit characterized by a system of algebraic and integral equations. We show the existence of a unique solution to this system of equations, both for a stable and an overloaded queue. We also describe the asymptotic behavior of the trajectories of the fluid limit.     

On spectral properties of finite population processor shared queues

We consider sojourn or response times in processor-shared queues that have a finite population of potential users. Computing the response time of a tagged customer involves solving a finite system of linear ODEs. Writing the system in matrix form, we study the eigenvectors and eigenvalues in the limit as the size of the matrix becomes large. This corresponds to finite population models where the total population is $N\gg 1$ . Using asymptotic methods we reduce the eigenvalue problem to that of a standard differential equation, such as the Hermite equation. The dominant eigenvalue leads to the tail of a customer’s sojourn time distribution.     

TheM/G/1 queue with processor sharing and its relation to a feedback queue

The central model of this paper is anM/M/1 queue with a general probabilistic feedback mechanism. When a customer completes his ith service, he departs from the system with probability 1–p(i) and he cycles back with probabilityp(i). The mean service time of each customer is the same for each cycle. We determine the joint distribution of the successive sojourn times of a tagged customer at his loops through the system. Subsequently we let the mean service time at each loop shrink to zero and the feedback probabilities approach one in such a way that the mean total required service time remains constant. The behaviour of the feedback queue then approaches that of anM/G/1 processor sharing queue, different choices of the feedback probabilities leading to different service time distributions in the processor sharing model. This is exploited to analyse the sojourn time distribution in theM/G/1 queue with processor sharing.Some variants are also considered, viz., anM/M/1 feedback queue with additional customers who are always present, and anM/G/1 processor sharing queue with feedback.     

Sojourn time distributions in the queue defined by a general QBD process

We consider a general QBD process as defining a FIFO queue and obtain the stationary distribution of the sojourn time of a customer in that queue as a matrix exponential distribution, which is identical to a phase-type distribution under a certain condition. Since QBD processes include many queueing models where the arrival and service process are dependent, these results form a substantial generalization of analogous results reported in the literature for queues such as the PH/PH/c queue. We also discuss asymptotic properties of the sojourn time distribution through its matrix exponential form.     

Using the M/G/1 queue under processor sharing for exact simulation of queues

In Sigman (J. Appl. Probab. 48A:209–216, 2011b), a first exact simulation algorithm was presented for the stationary distribution of customer delay for FIFO M/G/c queues in which ρ=λ/μ<1 (super stable case). The key idea involves dominated coupling from the past while using the M/G/1 queue under the processor sharing (PS) discipline as a sample-path upper bound, taking advantage of its time-reversibility properties so as to be able to simulate it backwards in time. Here, we expand upon this method and give several examples of other queueing models for which this method can be used to exactly simulate from their stationary distributions. Examples include sojourn times for single-server queues under various service disciplines, tandem queues, and multi-class networks with general routing.     

Dynamic scheduling of a single-server two-class queue with constant retrial policy

We analyze the non-preemptive assignment of a single server to two infinite-capacity retrial queues. Customers arrive at both queues according to Poisson processes. They are served on first-come-first-served basis following a cost-optimal routing policy. The customer at the head of a queue generates a Poisson stream of repeated requests for service, that is, we have a constant retrial policy. All service times are exponential, with rates depending on the queues. The costs to be minimized consist of costs per unit time that a customer spends in the system. In case of a scheduling problem that arise when no new customers arrive an explicit condition for server allocation to the first or the second queue is given. The condition presented covers all possible parameter choices. For scheduling that also considers new arrivals, we present the conditions under which server assignment to either queue 1 or queue 2 is cost-optimal.     

Geo/Geo/1 retrial queue with non-persistent customers and working vacations

In this paper, we consider a Geo/Geo/1 retrial queue with non-persistent customers and working vacations. The server works at a lower service rate in a working vacation period. Assume that the customers waiting in the orbit request for service with a constant retrial rate, if the arriving retrial customer finds the server busy, the customer will go back to the orbit with probability q (0≤q≤1), or depart from the system immediately with probability $\bar{q}=1-q$ . Based on the necessary and sufficient condition for the system to be stable, we develop the recursive formulae for the stationary distribution by using matrix-geometric solution method. Furthermore, some performance measures of the system are calculated and an average cost function is also given. We finally illustrate the effect of the parameters on the performance measures by some numerical examples.     

Steady-state asymptotics for tandem,split-match and other feedforward queues with heavy tailed service

Consider a stable FIFO GI/GI/1 → /GI/1 tandem queue in which the equilibrium distribution of service time at the second node S(2) is subexponential. It is shown that when the service time at the first node has a lighter tail, the tail of steady-state delay at the second node, D(2), has the same asymptotics as if it were a GI/GI/1 queue: $$x \to \infty $$ where S _e(2) has equilibrium (integrated tail) density P(S(2) > $x$ )/E[S(2)], and ρ₂ = λE[S(2)] (λ is the arrival rate of customers). The same result holds for tandem queues with more than two stations. For split-match (fork-join) queues with subexponential service times, we derive the asymptotics for both the sojourn time and the queue length. Finally, more generally, we consider feedforward generalized Jackson networks and obtain similar results.     

Waiting time analysis of the multiple priority dual queue with a preemptive priority service discipline

The dual queue consists of two queues, called the primary queue and the secondary queue. There is a single server in the primary queue but the secondary queue has no service facility and only serves as a holding queue for the overloaded primary queue. The dual queue has the additional feature of a priority scheme to help reduce congestion. Two classes of customers, class 1 and 2, arrive to the dual queue as two independent Poisson processes and the single server in the primary queue dispenses an exponentially distributed service time at the rate which is dependent on the customer’s class. The service discipline is preemptive priority with priority given to class 1 over class 2 customers. In this paper, we use matrix-analytic method to construct the infinitesimal generator of the system and also to provide a detailed analysis of the expected waiting time of each class of customers in both queues.     

A stochastic network with mobile users in heavy traffic

We consider a stochastic network with mobile users in a heavy traffic regime. We derive the scaling limit of the multidimensional queue length process and prove a form of spatial state space collapse. The proof exploits a recent result by Lambert and Simatos (preprint, 2012), which provides a general principle to establish scaling limits of regenerative processes based on the convergence of their excursions. We also prove weak convergence of the sequences of stationary joint queue length distributions and stationary sojourn times.     

A two-queue model with Bernoulli service schedule and switching times

In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of a cyclic-service queueing system consisting of two parallel queues, and a single server. The server serves the two queues with a Bernoulli service schedule described as follows. At the beginning of each visit to a queue, the server always serves a customer. At each epoch of service completion in the ith queue at which the queue is not empty, the server makes a random decision: with probability p_i, it serves the next customer; with probability 1-p_i, it switches to the other queue. The server takes switching times in its transition from one queue to the other. We derive the generating functions of the joint stationary queue-length distribution at service completion instants, by using the approach of the boundary value problem for complex variables. We also determine the Laplace-Stieltjes transforms of waiting time distributions for both queues, and obtain their mean waiting times. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

M/M/∞ Queues in series with non-homogeneous inputs

This paper studies the transient behaviour of tandem queueing system consisting of an arbitrary number r of queues in series with infinite server service facility at each queue. Poisson arrivals with time dependent parameter and exponential service times have been assumed. Infinite server queues realistically describe those queues in which sufficient service capacity exist to prevent virtually any waiting by the customer present. The model is suitable for both phase type service as well services in series. Very elegant solutions have been obtained and it has been shown that if the queue sizes are initially independent and Poisson then they remain independent and Poisson for all t.