Maximizing throughput in zero-buffer tandem lines with dedicated and flexible servers

Abstract

For tandem queues with no buffer spaces and both dedicated and flexible servers, this article studies how flexible servers should be assigned to maximize the throughput. The optimal policy is completely characterized. Insights gained from applying the Policy Iteration algorithm to systems with three, four, and five stations are used to devise heuristics for systems of arbitrary size. These heuristics are verified by numerical analysis. Throughput improvement obtained when, for a given server assignment, dedicated servers are changed to flexible servers.

Keywords:

• Server allocation
• zero buffer
• tandem queue
• flexible servers

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mohammad H. Yarmand

Mohammad H. Yarmand studied computer engineering at Sharif University of Technology from 2002 to 2006. He received an M.S. degree in Computer Science and a Ph.D. degree in Software Engineering from McMaster University in 2008 and 2013, respectively. His research interests are queueing theory, stochastic resource allocation, software security, and health informatics.

Douglas G. Down

Douglas Down received his B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. degrees from the University of Toronto (1986 and 1990) and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (1994). His interests lie in performance evaluation and resource allocation in distributed computer systems.