Queuing Theory

 It is the mathematical study waiting line or queue.

 This technique provides basis of decision making about resources needed to provide a service.
 Queuing models are used to predict the performance of service systems when there is uncertainty
in arrival and service times.
 The Queuing models are very helpful for determining how to operate a queuing system in the most
effective way if too much service capacity to operate the system involves excessive costs.
 The models enable finding an appropriate balance between the cost of service and the amount of
waiting.

Terms –
1. The customer: The arriving unit that requires some service to be provided.
2. Queue- A line of customer waiting for their turn. The formation of waiting lines usually occurs
whenever the current demand for a service exceeds the current capacity to provide that service.
The queue does not include the customer being serviced.
Types of queue
a) Limited Queue:
 In some facilities, only a limited number of customers are allowed in the system and new
arriving customers are not allowed to join the system unless the number below less the
limiting value. (Number of appointments in hospitals)
b) Unlimited Queue:
 In some facilities, there is no limit to the number of customer allowed in the
system.(Entertainment centers).
c) Infinite queue: If the customer who arrives and forms the queue from a very large population
the queue is referred to as infinite queue.
d) Finite Queue: if the customer who arrives and forms the queue from a small population then
the queue is referred to as finite queue.
3. Server: A server is one who provides the necessary service to the arrived customer.
4. Arrival rate: The rate at which the customers arrive to be serviced. It is denoted by λ. Λ indicates
take average number of customer arrivals per time period.
5. Service rate: The rate at which the customers are actually serviced. It in indicated by μ. indicates
the mean value of customer serviced per time period.
6. Expected number in the queue“Lq”: This is average or mean number of customer waiting to be
serviced. This is indicated by “Lq”.
7. Expected number in system Ls.: This is average or mean number of customer either waiting to
be serviced or being serviced. This is denoted by Ls.
8. Expected time in queueWq”.: This is the expected or mean time a customer spends waiting in
the queue. This is denoted by “Wq”.
9. The Expected time in the system “Ws’: This is the expected time or mean time customers spend
for waiting in the queue and for being serviced. This is denoted by “Ws’.
10. Expected number in a non-empty queue: Expected number of customer waiting in the line
excluding those times when the line is empty.
11. System utilization or traffic intensity: This is ratio between arrival and service rate.
12. Transient and Steady State: It is starting or initial state of system. When the system is started or
server is initiated the service then the service is called Transient State.
If the sufficient time is passed, then the system is said to be in steady state.
Elements of Waiting line –
1. Input Source – An input source is characterized by
a) Size of the calling population - The size of population is the total number of units that might
require service from time to time.
 According to source - The source of customers can be finite or infinite
 According to Number - The customers may arrive for service individually or in groups.
 According to time - Customers arrive in the system at a service facility randomly with
random interval between two adjacent arrivals.
b) Pattern of arrivals at the system - The arrival process (or pattern) of customers to the service
system is classified into two categories: static and dynamic
c) Behavior of the arrivals - Customer generally behaves in the following ways.
i. Balking – Customer deciding not to join the queue if it is too long.
ii. Reneging – Customers leaves the queue if they have waited too long for service.
iii. Jockeying - Customer switch between queues if they think they will get served fast by
doing so.
iv. Priorities - Some customers are served order regardless of their order of arrival. Some
customer has priorities over other.
2. Queue Configuration - The queuing process refers to the number of queues, and their respective
lengths. The number of queues depends upon the layout of a service system. Thus there may be a
single queue or multiple queues. Length (or size) of the queue depends upon the operational
situation such as physical space, legal restrictions, and attitude of the customers.
Queue may be infinite or finite .No further customers are allowed to enter until space
becomes available to accommodate new customers. Such types of situations are referred to as
finite (or limited) source queue.
If a service system is able to accommodate any number of customers at a time, then it is
referred to as infinite (or unlimited) Queue.
3. Service Process/System- The service is provided by a service facility (or facilities). This may be a
person (a bank teller, a barber, a machine (elevator, gasoline pump), or a space (airport runway,
parking lot, hospital bed), to mention just a few. A service facility may include one person or
several people operating as a team. Service systems are usually classified in terms of their number
of channels, or numbers of servers

a) Single Server – Single Queue - The models that involve one queue – one service station
facility are called single server models where customer waits till the service point is ready to
take him for servicing. Students arriving at a library counter are an example of a single server
facility.

b) Single Server – Several Queues - In this type of facility there are several queues and the
customer may join any one of these but there is only one service channel.
c) Several (Parallel) Servers – Single Queue: In this type of model there is more than one
server and each server provides the same type of facility. The customers wait in a single queue
until one of the service channels is ready to take them in for servicing.

d) Several Servers – Several Queues -This type of model consists of several servers where each
of the servers has a different queue. Different cash counters in an electricity office where the
customers can make payment in respect of their electricity bills provide an example of this
type of model.

e) Service facilities in a series - In this, a customer enters the first station and gets a
portion of service and then moves on to the next station, gets some service and then
again moves on to the next station. …. and so on, and finally leaves the system, having
received the complete service. For example, machining of a certain steel item may
consist of cutting, turning, knurling, drilling, grinding, and packaging operations, each
of which is performed by a single server in a series.
 Multiple Servers in a Series

4. Queue Discipline - It is the order in which the members of the queue are offered service. i.e,
It is the rule accordingly to which customers are selected for service when queue has been
formed. The most common disciplines are

a) First come First services (FCFS) - If the customers are served in the order of their arrival,
then this is known as the First Come First Served (FCFS) service discipline. Prepaid taxi
queue at airports where a taxi is engaged on a first-come, first-served basis is an example of
this discipline.
b) Last in First out(LIFO) - Sometimes, the customers are serviced in the reverse order of their
entry so that the ones who join the last are served first.
c) Service in Random order (SIRO) - Under this rule customers are selected for service at
random, irrespective of their arrivals in the service system. In this every customer in the queue
is equally likely to be selected. The time of arrival of the customers is, therefore, of no
relevance in such a case.
d) Priority Service - Under this rule customers are grouped in priority classes on the basis of
some attributes such as service time or urgency or according to some identifiable
characteristic, and FCFS rule is used within each class to provide service.
Ex- Treatment of VIPs in preference to other patients in a hospital is an example of priority
service. For the queuing models that we shall consider, the assumption would be that the
customers are serviced on the first-come-first-served basis.
Some Definitions
Mean arrival rate (λ): The mean arrival rate in waiting line situation is defined as the expected
number of arrivals occurring in a time interval of length unity and denoted by λ
Mean servicing rate (µ): The mean servicing rate for a particular servicing station is defined as the
expected number of services completed in a time interval of length unity, given that the servicing is going
on throughout the entire time unit and denoted by µ

Models of Queuing –
Refer class notes