On the Asymptotic Insensitivity of the Supermarket Model in Processor Sharing Systems

The supermarket model is a popular load balancing model where each incoming job is assigned to a server with the least number of jobs among d randomly selected servers. Several authors have shown that the large scale limit in case of processor sharing servers has a unique insensitive fixed point, which naturally leads to the belief that the queue length distribution in such a system is insensitive to the job size distribution as the number of servers tends to infinity. Simulation results that support this belief have also been reported. However, global attraction of the unique fixed point of the large scale limit was not proven except for exponential job sizes, which is needed to formally prove asymptotic insensitivity. The difficulty lies in the fact that with processor sharing servers, the limiting system is in general not monotone. In this paper we focus on the class of hyperexponential distributions of order 2 and demonstrate that for this class of distributions global attraction of the unique fixed point can still be established using monotonicity by picking a suitable state space and partial order. This allows us to formally show that we have asymptotic insensitivity within this class of job size distributions. We further demonstrate that our result can be leveraged to prove asymptotic insensitivity within this class of distributions for other load balancing systems.

Queues with path-dependent arrival processes

We study the transient and limiting behavior of a queue with a Pólya arrival process. The Pólya process is interesting because it exhibits path-dependent behavior, e.g. it satisfies a non-ergodic law of large numbers: the average number of arrivals over time [0, t] converges almost surely to a nondegenerate limit as $t \rightarrow \infty$. We establish a heavy-traffic diffusion limit for the $\sum_{i=1}^{n} P_i/GI/1$ queue, with arrivals occurring exogenously according to the superposition of n independent and identically distributed Pólya point processes. That limit yields a tractable approximation for the transient queue-length distribution, because the limiting net input process is a Gaussian Markov process with stationary increments. We also provide insight into the long-run performance of queues with path-dependent arrival processes. We show how Little’s law can be stated in this context, and we provide conditions under which there is stability for a queue with a Pólya arrival process.

An alternative approach in finding the stationary queue length distribution of a queueing system with negative customers

A single-server queueing system with negative customers is considered in this paper. One positive customer will be removed from the head of the queue if any negative customer is present. The distribution of the interarrival time for the positive customer is assumed to have a rate that tends to a constant as time t tends to infinity. An alternative approach will be proposed to derive a set of equations to find the stationary probabilities. The stationary probabilities will then be used to find the stationary queue length distribution. Numerical examples will be presented and compared to the results found using the analytical method and simulation procedure. The advantage of using the proposed alternative approach will be discussed in this paper.

Recursive Solution of Queue Length Distribution for Geo/G/1 Queue with Delayed Min(N, D)-Policy

In this paper we consider a discrete-time Geo/G/1 queue with delayed Min(N, D)-policy. Using renewal process theory, total probability decomposition technique and z-transform, we study the transient and equilibrium properties of the queue length from an arbitrary initial state, and obtain both the recursive expressions of the transient state queue length distribution and the steady state queue length distribution at arbitrary time epoch n+. Furthermore, we derive the important relations between equilibrium queue length distributions at different time epochs n–, n and n+. Finally, we give some numerical examples about capacity decision in queueing systems to demonstrate the application of the analytical results reported in this paper.

Alternative approach based on roots for computing the stationary queue-length distributions in GIX/M(1, b)/1 single working vacation queue

The purpose of this paper is to present an alternative algorithm for computing the stationary queue-length and system-length distributions of a single working vacation queue with renewal input batch arrival and exponential holding times. Here we assume that a group of customers arrives into the system, and they are served in batches not exceeding a specific number b. Because of batch arrival, the transition probability matrix of the corresponding embedded Markov chain for the working vacation queue has no skip-free-to-the-right property. Without considering whether the transition probability matrix has a special block structure, through the calculation of roots of the associated characteristic equation of the generating function of queue-length distribution immediately before batch arrival, we suggest a procedure to obtain the steady-state distributions of the number of customers in the queue at different epochs. Furthermore, we present the analytic results for the sojourn time of an arbitrary customer in a batch by utilizing the queue-length distribution at the pre-arrival epoch. Finally, various examples are provided to show the applicability of the numerical algorithm.

Stochastic analysis of a preemptive retrial queue with orbital search and multiple vacations

This paper deals with a preemptive priority M/G/1 retrial queue with orbital search and exhaustive multiple vacations. By using embedded Markov chain technique and the supplementary variable method, we discuss the necessary and sufficient condition for the system to be stable and the joint queue length distribution in steady state as well as some important performance measures and the Laplace–Stieltjes transform of the busy period. Also, we establish a special case and the stochastic decomposition laws for this preemptive retrial queueing system. Finally, some numerical examples and cost optimization analysis are presented.

An N-policy discrete-time Geo/G/1 queue with modified multiple server vacations and Bernoulli feedback*

This paper deals with a single-server discrete-time Geo/G/1 queueing model with Bernoulli feedback and N-policy where the server leaves for modified multiple vacations once the system becomes empty. Applying the law of probability decomposition, the renewal theory and the probability generating function technique, we explicitly derive the transient queue length distribution as well as the recursive expressions of the steady-state queue length distribution. Especially, some corresponding results under special cases are directly obtained. Furthermore, some numerical results are provided for illustrative purposes. Finally, a cost optimization problem is numerically analyzed under a given cost structure.

Analysis of an N–Policy GI/M/1 Queue in a Multi–Phase Service Environmentwith Disasters

This paper investigates an N-policy GI/M/1 queue in a multi-phase service environment with disasters, where the system tends to suffer from disastrous failures while it is in operative service environments, making all present customers leave the system simultaneously and the server stop working completely. As soon as the number of customers in the queue reaches a threshold value, the server resumes its service and moves to the appropriate operative service environment immediately with some probability. We derive the stationary queue length distribution, which is then used for the computation of the Laplace-Stieltjes transform of the sojourn time of an arbitrary customer and the server’s working time in a cycle. In addition, some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the impact of several model parameters on the performance measures.

Martingale approach for tail asymptotic problems in the gener­alized Jackson network

MARTINGALE APPROACH FOR TAIL ASYMPTOTIC PROBLEMS IN THE GENERALIZED JACKSON NETWORKWe study the tail asymptotic of the stationary joint queue length distribution for a generalized Jackson network GJN for short, assumingits stability. For the two-station case, this problem has recently been solved in the logarithmic sense for the marginal stationary distributions under the setting that arrival processes and service times are of phase-type. In this paper, we study similar tail asymptotic problems on the stationary distribution, but problems and assumptions are different. First, the asymptotics are studied not only for the marginal distribution but also the stationary probabilities of state sets of small volumes. Second, the interarrival and service times are generally distributed and light tailed, but of phase-type in some cases. Third, we also study the case that there are more than two stations, although the asymptotic results are less complete. For them, we develop a martingale method, which has been recently applied to a single queue with many servers by the author.