Queuing Models

M/M/k Systems

CLASSIFICATION OF
QUEUING SYSTEMS
Recall that queues are classified by
(Arrival Dist.)/(Service Dist.)/(# servers)
Designations for Arrival/Service distributions
include:
M = Markovian (Poisson process)
D = Deterministic (Constant)
G = General

We begin with the basic model, the M/M/1 system.

M/M/1
An M/M/1 system is one with:
M = Customers arrive according to a
Poisson process at an average rate of /hr.
M = Service times have an exponential
distribution with an average service time =
1/ hours
1 = one server
Simplest system -- like EOQ for inventory -a good starting point

M/M/1
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
For the M/M1 system the performance measures
are given by these simple formulas:
L = Average # of customers in the system = /( - )
LQ = Average # of customers in the queue = L - /
W = Average customer time in the system = L/
WQ = Average customer time in the queue = Lq/
p0 = Probability 0 customers in the system = 1- /
pn = Probability n customers in the system = ( / )n p0
= utilization rate or Average number customers
being served = /

EXAMPLE -- Marys Shoes

Customers arrive according to a Poisson
Process about once every 12 minutes
Service times are exponential and average 8
min.
One server
This is an M/M/1 system with:
= (60min./hr)/(12 min./customer) = 60/12 = 5/hr.
(service rate) = (60min/hr)/(8min./customer) = 7.5/hr.

Will steady state be reached?

= 5 < = 7.5/hr.

YES

MARYS SHOES
PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Avg # of busy servers (utilization rate) or
Avg # customers being served = = / =(5/7.5) = 2/3
Average # in the system -- L = /(- ) = 5/(7.5-5) = 2
Average # in the queue -- Lq = L - / = 2 - (2/3) = 4/3
Avg. customer time in the system -- W = L/ = 2/5 hrs.
Avg cust.time in the queue - Wq = Lq/ = (4/3)/5 = 4/15 hrs.
Prob. 0 customers in the system -- p0 = 1-/=1-(2/3) = 1/3
Prob. 3 customers in the system -- pn=(/)3 p0 =(2/3)3(1/3) =
8/81

COMPUTER SOLUTION
The formulas for an M/M/1 are very
simple, but those for other models can be
quite complex
We can use a queuing template to
calculate the steady state quantities for
any number of servers, k
For the M/M/1 model use the M/M/k
worksheet in Queue Template
Since k = 1, the results are in the row
corresponding to 1 server

Input and

Steady State Results

Pns
p3

Go to the MMk
Worksheet

M/M/k SYSTEMS
An M/M/k system is one with
M = Customers arrive according to a
Poisson process at an average rate of / hr.
M = Service times have an exponential
distribution with an average service time =
1/ hours regardless of the server
k = k IDENTICAL servers
To reach steady state:
state < k

M/M/k PERFORMANCE
MEASURES
Formulas much more complex e.g.
p0

1
1

n 0 n!
k 1

1

k!

k 1! k

p0

EXAMPLE
LITTLETOWN POST OFFICE
Between 9AM and 1PM on Saturdays:
Average of 100 cust. per hour arrive
according to a Poisson process -- = 100/hr.
Service times exponential; average service
time = 1.5 min. -- = 60/1.5 = 40/hr.
3 clerks; k = 3

This is an M/M/3 system

= 100/hr
= 40/hr.
Since < 3, i.e. 100 < 120,
STEADY STATE will be reached

Solution
Using the formulas, with = 100, = 40, k = 3,
it can be shown that:

Prob.0 customers in the system -- p0 = .044944

Average # in the system -- L = 6.0112
Average # in the queue -- Lq = 3.5112
Avg. customer time in the system -- W = .0601 hrs.
Avg cust.time in the queue - Wq = .0351hrs.
Average system utilization rate = /k =
100/120 = .83
Avg # of busy servers = k = / =(3X0.83) = 2.5

Input and

Performance Measures
for 3 servers
Pns

Go to the MMk
Worksheet

M/M/k/F Systems

An M/M/k/F system is one with

M = Customers arrive according to a Poisson
process at an average rate of / hr.
M = Service times have an exponential distribution
with an average service time = 1/ hours
regardless of the server
k = k IDENTICAL servers
F = maximum number of customers that can be in
the system at any time
Because the queue cannot build up indefinitely,
steady state will be achieved regardless of the
values of and !
Formulas for steady state quantities are complex

Basic Concept of M/M/k/F Systems

The number of customers that can be in the
system is 0, 1, 2, ,F
If an arriving customer finds < F customers in
the system when he arrives, he will join the
system.
If an arriving customer finds F customers in the
system when he arrives, he cannot join the
system, he will leave, and his service is lost.

Thus the effective arrival rate, e, the

average number of arrivals per hour that
actually join the system is: e = (1-pF).

EXAMPLE
RYANS ROOFING
The average number of customers that call the
company per hour is 10.
There is 1 operator who averages 3 minutes per
call.
Both calls and operator time conform to Poisson
processes.
There are 3 phone lines so 2 calls could be on
hold. A caller that calls when all 3 lines are busy,
gets the busy signal and does not join the system.
This is an M/M/1/3 system with:
= 10/hr.
= 60/3 = 20/hr.

USING THE M/M/k/F TEMPLATE

The template is designed to be used for
the case where a queue is possible that
is the maximum number of customers in
the system is greater than the number of
servers, i.e. F > k
To determine the effective arrival rate, we
find pF on the right side of the output.
Then in a cell (or by hand) we can
calculate:
Effective Arrival Rate
e = (1-pF)

Input , , k and F

Effective Arrival Rate e= (1-pF)

=C4*(1-P12) Excel
= 10(1-.06667) = 9.3333

Steady State Results

Pns

pF = p3

Go to the MMkF
Worksheet

Review
M/M/k systems are ones with:
a Poisson arrival distribution
an exponential service distribution
k identical servers

Steady state formulas for M/M/k model

Finite queuing models
Always reach steady state
Effective arrival rate, e = (1-pF)

Use of Templates
M/M/k
M/M/k/F