Infinite Queuing Models Unit-9

Unit 9
Infinite Queuing Models
Table of Contents

9.1 Introduction
Learning Objectives
9.2. Queuing Theory
9.2.1 How Did Queuing Start
9.2.2 Different Types of Queuing Systems
9.2.3 Importance of Queuing Theory
9.2.4 Application of Queuing Theory
Self-Assessment Questions
9.3. Operating Characteristics of a Queuing System
9.4. Constituents of a Queuing System
Self-Assessment Questions
9.5. Standard Notations for Queuing Theory
9.6 Service Facility
9.7 Queue Discipline
9.8 Summary
9.9 Glossary
9.10 Terminal Questions
9.11 Answers
9.12 Suggested Books

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9.1 INTRODUCTION

Waiting lines are the utmost commonly met complications in day to day life. For
instance, queue at a restaurant, ATM, billing counters, etc. Mutual in all these examples are the
entrances of entities that need service and the person operating the system delays while the
service mechanism is full. Waiting lines cannot be removed totally, but appropriate methods can
be implemented to decrease the waiting period of an entity in the system. An extended waiting
line might cause in loss of consumers to a business. Waiting time could be decreased by giving
extra service accommodations, then it might effect in an upsurge in the standard period of the
service mechanism.
Queuing Theory is constructed on measured theories and tackles the difficulties rising
because of flow of customers in the direction of the service facility. In order to make a
equilibrium among the cost related with waiting and the cost of offering service the waiting line
models are used to support the organization to take appropriate decisions. Therefore, queuing or
waiting line models could be used in such circumstances where choices have to be made to
curtail the waiting time with least investment cost. A movement of customers from in
infinite/finite population headed for the service facility makes a queue (waiting line) and the
reason is absence of proficiency to attend them all at same time. The queues can be of persons
waiting at a bank or at ticket booking counter; these might be of appliances waiting to be fixed or
of trucks in the manufacturing unit waiting to be loaded or of files received at a clerks counter. In
the absence of a perfect balance between the service facilities and the customers, waiting is
required either of the service facilities or for the customer's' arrival.
By using the word 'customer' means the arriving entity that needs some sort of service to
be executed. The customer might be of personnel, equipment, automobiles, accessories etc.
Queues (waiting line) refer to the total sum of customers waiting for the service.

Learning Objectives
After studying this unit a students will able to
 Understand the meaning of Queuing Theory.
 Identify Operating Characteristics of a Queuing System.
 Explain the Constituents of a Queuing System.
 Identify the concept of Service Facility.
 Identify the concept of Queue Discipline.
9.2 QUEUING THEORY

Steady Note Queuing theory is a part of arithmetic that reviews and models the
Waiting Line is the study action of waiting in queues. Queuing theory (or queuing theory)
of customer in a queue. denotes to the calculated learning of the creation, utility, and
overcrowding of queues or waiting lines.

A queuing condition includes two portions.

1. Somebody or object that demands a service—typically denoted as the customer, job, or
request.

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2. Somebody or object that finishes or provides the services—typically denoted as the

server.

To understand, let us pick two examples. When we see a queuing condition at a billing counter,
the customers are persons looking for to pay their bills for the items they have purchased from
the store, and the servers are the people who are doing the billing process. When we look at
queuing state of a car service center, the customers are the cars that are waiting for service and
the server is the service center.
Population of Customers

.
Output

Server
Arrival Queue

Figure 1.1: Queuing System

Queuing theory examines the whole system of waiting in line, with components such as
customer arrival rate, number of servers, number of customers, capacity of the waiting area,
average service completion time, and queuing discipline. Queuing discipline denotes to the
guidelines of the queue, for instance if it performs grounded on a standard of first-in-first-out,
last-in-first-out, prioritized, or serve-in-random-order.
9.2.1 HOW DID QUEUING START

Queuing theory was originally presented in the initial 20th century by

Study Note
Agner Krarup Erlang. He use to work for "The Copenhagen Telephone
The concept of queuing Exchange" and desired to study and improve its processes. He wanted to
theory was developed define that how many number of circuits were required to deliver a
late in the 1909, by satisfactory telephone service so that people should not have to wait on
Agner Krarup Erlang hold for a longer duration. He was interested to know the number of
telephone operators that were required to handle a certain number of
calls. His measured investigation concluded in his 1920 paper
“Telephone Waiting Times”, which became the groundwork of functional
queuing theory. The global component of telephone traffic is called the
Erlang in his name.

9.2.2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUEING SYSTEMS

Queuing theory practices the Kendall notation to categorize the various kinds of queuing
systems. Queuing systems are categorized by means of the symbolization A/S/c/K/N/D where:

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A is the arrival process

S is the mathematical distribution of the service time
c is the number of servers
K is the capacity of the queue, omitted if unlimited
N is the number of possible customers, omitted if unlimited
D is the queuing discipline, assumed first-in-first-out if omitted
For illustration take an ATM one customer can be served at a time and the serving order
is first come first out. The arrival process is random distribution and service delivery time is also
arbitrary, queue size is unlimited and the numbers of probable customers are also infinite.

Figure 1.2: FCFS

9.2.3 IMPORTANCE OF QUENING THEORY

Waiting in line is a fragment of day to day life cycle since as a procedure it has numerous
vital jobs. Queues are a reasonable and important method of handling with the movement of
customers especially at times when resources are limited. Adverse results come if a queue
process is not made to face the congestion.

For instance, at a single time if so many users browse a website, it will either become
slow or will crash down if the website does not have a means to do modification in speed at
which it processes requests or a way to queue visitors.

Or think of trains waiting for a platform to come. At times when there is a surplus of
trains, the lack of a queue could generate actual security consequences as all trains will try to
reach at the similar period. Queuing theory is significant as it helps define structures of the
queue, like average wait time, and delivers the apparatuses for improving queues. From the view

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point of a business, queuing theory notifies the creation of well-organized and economical
workflow systems.

9.2.4 APPLICATION OF QUENING THEORY

Queuing theory is influential as the situation of queue means there are limitless and
varied uses of queuing theory.

Queuing theory has been applied, just to name a few, to:

 telecommunications
 transportation
 logistics
 finance
 emergency services
 computing
 industrial engineering
 Project management.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. ________________helps in minimizing total waiting and service cost.

2. Queuing theory is also termed as___________________.
3. In queuing theory, customers refer to those waiting in a queue or receiving service.
(True/False)
4. Number of customers in the queue per unit of time is called_________________.

9.4 OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF A QUEUING SYSTEM

A queuing system has six characteristics:

1. Arrival Pattern
Study Note
2. Service Mechanism
3. Queue Discipline Six component of queuing is
4. Capacity of the System
arrival pattern, service mechanism,
5. Customer Behavior
discipline, capacity of the system
6. Calling Population
consumer behaviour and pollution.

1. Arrival Pattern:
Arrivals may instigate from single or multiple sources denoted to as the calling population. The
calling population could be finite or infinite. An illustration of a finite calling population can be

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that of a fixed quantity of machineries that do not work randomly. The arrival pattern defines
how customers arrive to the system. If A i is the inter arrival time between the arrivals of the (i-1)
th and ith customers, we shall denote the mean (or expected) inter-arrival time by E (A) and call it
(λ ); = 1/(E(A) the arrival frequency. There are three components in arrival pattern which are
follows:
Arrival rate – customers arriving per unit of time
Mean arrival rate is denoted by
Mean time between arrival =1/ λ

2. Service Mechanism
The service mechanism of a queuing system is specifies the quantity of servers
(represented by s), individual server consisting its specific queue or a mutual queue and the
possibility dispersal of customer's service time. Let's assume S i be the service time of the ith
customer, we shall denote the mean service time of a customer by E(S) and µ = 1/(E(S) the
service rate.

3. Queue Discipline
Discipline of a queuing system implies the method that a server uses to pick the
following client from the line (assuming any) when the server finishes the service of the current
client. Generally utilized queue disciplines are:
FIFO - Customers are served on a First-In First-Out basis.
LIFO - Customers are served in a Last-In First-Out manner.
Priority - Customers are served in order of their importance on the basis of their service
requirements.
Processor (or Time) Sharing- The server is switched between all the queues for a predefined
slice of time (quantum time) in a round-robin manner. Each queue head is served for that specific
time. It doesn’t matter if the service is complete for a customer or not. If not then it’ll be served
in its next turn. This is used to avoid the server time killed by customer for the external activities
(e.g. preparing for payment or filling half-filled form)

4. Capacity of the System

Maximum Queue Size (also called System capacity) is the extreme sum of consumers that
might wait in the queue (plus the one(s) being served). Queue is every time finite, but then again
some academic theories accept an infinite queue size. If the queue size is finite, few customers
are enforced to leave as they cannot be served.

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5. Customer Behavior
Customers in a line usually conduct themselves in four ways:
a. Balking: A customer might remove himself the queue as the queue is very lengthy and he
don’t have time to wait, or the waiting space is not adequate. This can be understood by
Visualization a customer arrives, and realizes there is no space in the waiting are and chooses
not to be part of the queue. Likewise, when a customer arrives and the queue is very long and
select net to be in the queue.

b. Reneging: This happens when customer leaves the queue being intolerance and joins another
queue assuming it to move rapidly; then again he becomes impatient later on after some time
he chooses to leave. The train ticket counters is an example in this case, where individuals
hang tight for quite a while in the line, however then get fretful and leave. Another model is
in a general store. Individuals get anxious holding up in line to look at, so often individuals
leave the containers, and simply leave without purchasing anything.

c. Priorities: In specific applications, a few clients are served before others paying little mind
to their request for appearance. These clients have need over others. Again utilizing the case
of a train station, such a situation happens when somebody comes to purchase a top of the
line ticket; he is given priority over the individuals who are purchasing a below average
ticket. Such a situation can likewise be found in a bank, wherein a Platinum level client gets
particular assistance over the Silver level client, etc.

d. Jockeying: Clients may jockey starting with one line then onto the next, for example move
from one line to another. This can be seen ordinarily at grocery stores just as train stations,
where an individual leaves the line he is remaining in, and joins a different line which has all
the earmarks of being more limited, or seems, by all accounts, to be moving quicker.

6. Calling Population
The number potential customer is alluded to as the calling population. The calling population can
be limited or infinite. In the system with huge populace, we ordinarily expect the population is
infinite. The key contrast among ''limited'' and ''infinite'' population model is the manner by
which the arrival rate is characterized.

In an infinite population system, the arrival rate isn't influenced by the quantity of customers.
Normally the system is seen as an open, clients come from outside the system and once work is
completed.

In a limited population model, the arrival rate at a server is influenced by the population in the
system. Generally the system is seen as a closed one, clients (with a fixed number) don't leave
the system, they just move around it starting with one server then onto the next, starting with one
line then onto the next.

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9.4 CONSTITUENTS OF QUEUING SYSTEM

Queuing theory, in general, refers to the statistical description of the behaviour of queue. In a
specified queuing system, the objective is to determine the following:

Study Note 1. Queue Length- Queue length can be defined as the

average number of customers in the queue waiting to get
The five elements of queuing serve. In queue length those customers are not included
system are, queue length, system who are getting services. Queue length is denoted as Lq.
length, waiting time in a queue, In case of known probability distribution of the arrival
waiting time in a system, and and service patterns, the probability distribution of queue
length can be obtained and number of queue can also be
utilization factor.
calculated.

2. System Length- System length can be explained that average number of customers that
are in system and that including those waiting as well being served. System length can be
denoted by Ls.

3. Waiting Time in a Queue- Waiting time can be defined as average time customer has to
wait in the queue to get service. The time spends by a customer in the queue before the
commencement of his/ her service called its waiting time in a queue. Waiting time is
denoted as Wq.

4. Waiting Time in System- Waiting time in system can be defined as average time a
customer spent in the system. Waiting time in system included the total time spent by the
customers and it would be equal to the waiting time plus service time. It is denoted by the
Ws.

5. Utilization Factor (or Traffic Intensity)- The amount of degree that the system is being
utilized. Utilization factor can be achieved by dividing the mean arrival rate and mean
service rate. Utilization factor is denoted by rho (P). The ratio is always less than 1.

The ratio P = mean arrival rate

mean service rate

P= λ/ µ

9.5 STANDARD NOTATION FOR QUEUING THEORY

There are certain notations of queuing theory that are used commonly. These standard symbols
include

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λ: the mean arrival rate.

μ: the mean service rate.
n: the number of people in the system.
A: the arrival process probability distribution.
B: the service process probability distribution.
C: the number of servers.
D: the maximum number of customers allowed in the system at any given time, waiting or being
served (without getting bumped).
E: the maximum number of customers total.

Self-Assessment Questions
5. First-in, first-out rule is used by most systems as their queue discipline. (True/False)
6. The utilization factor for a system is denoted as_________________.
7. When a customer joins a queue but then leaves before being served is called______________.
8. In basic queuing models, the size of the arrival population is assumed to be ____________.

9.6 SERVICE FACILITY

Study Note The Service facility is also known as service mechanism.

Service facility or service mechanism can be defined as the
Service Facility is a way that
method or a way that customers will receive the services
customers will receive the after they get selected from the queue. It is a blueprint
services after they get selected according to which customers are going to be served (i.e.
from the queue. the arrangement of the server).

Service facility can also be defined as the arrangement of servers’ facility to serve different
customers and pattern in which the numbers of customers leave the system after getting the
services. There are basically four type of arrangement of serve are available. These are as
mention below:
1. Single Queue Single Server- This is one of the arrangement of service pattern where
customers are coming in a single queue and single server is there to served the customer.
And after getting the required service the customer is leaving the system. Example
grocery shop.

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2. Single Queue Multiple Server- This is the second form of arrangement. In this pattern
customers will come in a single queue but they are served by the multiple service
provider. And after getting the required service the customer is leaving the system.
Example ATM space where more than 1 machine is available to serve the customer.

3. Multiple Queue Single Server- The third type of service pattern is multiple queue and
single server. In this pattern customers will form more than one queue may be two, three
or more than that but a single service provider is there to serve them and when they avail
service the will leave the system. Example in a railway ticket counter there is a different
line of male and female but ticket is issued by one serve provider.

4. Multiple Queue and Multiple Server-The last type of service pattern is multiple queue
and multiple server. In this arrangement the customers are forming multiple queues and
multiple service providers are available to serve the various customers. Example- Super
market where there are various bills counters and customers are allowed to form different
queue for different bill counters.
9.7 QUEUE DISCIPLINE

Study Note

Queue discipline is the

The queue discipline is the order or way where customers from the
way where customers are line are chosen for service. Static line disciplines depend on the
chosen for the service individual client's status in the line. Not many of such are:

First-Come, First-Served (FCFS) If the service is done on the basis or order of arrival of than
this kind of discipline is called first-come, first-served or. Prepaid taxi lines at terminals where a
cab is assigned on a ‘first-come, first served basis is an example of this discipline.

Figure 1.3: FCFS System

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Advantages:
• Very little computational burden
• Performance of the queue is very obvious, extreme deferment depends upon the
maximum length of the queue.
• Till the moment queue length is short, it delivers modest conflict determination for
network resolution without substantial increase in queuing delay at each hop
Disadvantages:
 A single FIFO queue does not permit consolidation of packs. (differentiation is not
possible according to the class of services).

 Effects all movements similarly. (queuing delay upsurges as crow ding grows- not
appropriate for real time systems)

 Heavy movement can consume the whole buffer space and reject service to added
movements.
Last-Come, First-Served (LCFS) to reduce handling and transportation cost most cargo
handling system uses LCFS queuing discipline methods where the last pack stacked is eliminated
first, the last ones being simpler to arrive at nearer. Likewise, in the production cycle packs
arriving are stacked one on top of the other. Thing on the highest point of the stack is taken first
for service which is the final one to have arrived.
Dynamic line disciplines depend on the individual client ascribes in the line.
Service in Random Order (SIRO), where clients are chosen for service at arbitrary independent
of their appearances in the service system.
Priority Service, where clients are assembled in need classes based on certain characteristics,
for example, service time or criticalness, and FCFS rule is utilized inside each class to offer
service. The installments of bills with a money order or money are instances of this discipline.

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Figure 1.4: Priority Service System

Benefits:
 little computational load

 Permits organizing packs and considering of diverse service classes inversely.

Limitations:
 Lesser priority traffic might practice unnecessary delay.

 Frustration for lesser priority traffic.

 Mischievous high-priority movement can upset other movements sharing the same queue.

Pre-emptive Priority (or Emergency), where a significant client is permitted to go into the service
as soon as he arrives in the system regardless of whether a customer with lower need is as of now
in service. That is, lower need client service is intruded (appropriated) to begin service for such a
client. This intruded service is continued again after the need client is served. Non-pre-emptive
Priority where a significant client goes ahead in the line, however service is begun quickly on
fruition of the current service.

9.8 SUMMARY

 Queuing theory examines every component of waiting in line, including the arrival
process, service process, number of servers, number of system places, and the number of
customers.

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 In queuing theory we often presume infinite numbers of customers.

 Queuing theory aims to achieve a balance that is efficient and affordable.

 There are six basis operating characteristic of queuing model i.e. arrival pattern, service
mechanism, discipline, capacity of the system consumer behaviour and pollution.

 There are four types of service facility in queuing model i.e. single queue single server,
single queue multiple server, multiple queue single server and multiple queue and
multiple server.

 Service Facility is a way that customers will receive the services after they get selected
from the queue.

9.9 GLOSSARY

1. Queue- Queue is a waiting line. It can be infinite or finite.

2. Customer- It refers to an individual, unique event, machine, or commodity that requires a

service.

3. Queue Discipline- It is a method of selecting the customers from the queue for the service
processor.

4. Service Mechanism- A service mechanism is the method in which customer received

services when they selected from the queue.

5. Finite population- refers to the limited-size customer pool that will use the service and, at
times, form a line.

6. Infinite population- refers to the unlimited-size customer pool that will use the service
and, at times, form a line.

Self-Assessment Questions
9. The queue discipline refers to:
a. the willingness of customers to wait in line.
b. customers staying in one line, not switching to another line.
c. the order in which customers are processed.
d. customers who are made to wait in line.
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10. The operating characteristics of queuing:

a. Utilization factor b. idle time
c. average spend time in a queue d. None of the above

9.10 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

Short Question:

1. What are the reasons for formation of queues?

2. Explain the term queuing discipline.

3. What are the various advantages of First come first serve.

Long question:

4. What are the various operating characteristic of a queuing system?

5. Explain the consumer behaviour in queuing theory.

9.11 ANSWERS

Self-Assessment Answers
1. Queuing theory
2. Waiting line
3. True
4. Average length of queue
5. True
6. P (rho)
7. Reneging
8. Infinite
9. The order in which customers are processed.
10. None of the above

1. Queue simply means waiting line. There are two reasons for the formation if a queue.
a. When number of customers requiring service wait due to number of customers exceed
number of server.
b. If the serve do not work efficiently and take more time than prescribed to serve a
customer.

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2. It specifies the way in which the customers from the queue or regularly the manner in which
they are chosen for service, when a queue has been formed. The most common discipline are
(i) FCFS (First Come First Served) or First In First Out (FIFO)
(ii) LCFS (Last Come First Served)
(iii) SIRO (Service in Random Order)
(iv) Priority

3. The following are the advantages of using first come first serve:-
a. Very little computational burden.
b. Performance of the queue is very obvious, extreme deferment depends upon the
maximum length of the queue.
c. Till the moment queue length is short, it delivers modest conflict determination for
network resolution without substantial increase in queuing delay at each hop.

4. The following are the operating characteristics of a queuing system

1. Arrival pattern: Arrivals may instigate from single or multiple sources denoted to as the
calling population.

2. Service mechanism: The service mechanism of a queuing system is specifies the quantity of
servers (represented by s), individual server consisting its specific queue or a mutual queue and
the possibility dispersal of customer's service time.
3. Queue discipline: Discipline of a queuing system implies the method that a server uses to pick
the following client from the line (assuming any) when the server finishes the service of the
current client

4. Capacity of the system: The server capacity to serve their customers.

5. Customer behavior: The behaviour that the customers are showing while they are waiting in
the queue is called their behavior.

6. Calling Population: The number potential customer is alluded to as the calling population.

9.12 SUGGESTED BOOKS

1. James H Banks. Introduction to transportation engineering. Tata Mc-Graw Hill, 2004.

2. Frederick S. Hillier and Gerald J. Lieberman. Operations Research. CBS publishers, 2019.
3. Adolf D. May. Fundamentals of Traffic Flow. Prentice - Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliff New
Jersey 07632, second edition, 1990.
4. C S Papacostas. Transportation engineering and planning by Papacostas. C. S, 3rd edition,
Prentice-Hall of India in 2001. Prentice-Hall of India, 2001.

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