Observing Queues Before Joining

M. Hlynka, D. A. Stanford, W. H. Poon and T. Wang
Additional contact information
M. Hlynka: University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
D. A. Stanford: University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
W. H. Poon: University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
T. Wang: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Operations Research, 1994, vol. 42, issue 2, 365-371

Abstract: We consider a queueing system with two servers, each with its own queue. The interarrival times are generally distributed. The service time for each server is exponentially distributed but the rates may be different. No jockeying between the two queues is allowed. We consider situations in which a smart customer can delay joining a queue until some arrivals or service departures have been observed. All other customers join the shortest queue. We find conditions under which the smart customer can lower its expected sojourn time in the system by waiting and observing rather than immediately joining the shortest queue.

Keywords: queues; multichannel: two parallel queues; delay in joining (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1994
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