Moderate Deviations for Queues in Critical Loading

We establish logarithmic asymptotics of moderate deviations for the processes of queue length and waiting times in single server queues and open queueing networks in critical loading. Our results complement earlier heavy-traffic approximation results

A Robust Queueing Network Analyzer Based on Indices of Dispersion

In post-industrial economies, modern service systems are dramatically changing the daily lives of many people. Such systems are often complicated by uncertainty: service providers usually cannot predict when a customer will arrive and how long the service will be. Fortunately, useful guidance can often be provided by exploiting stochastic models such as queueing networks. In iterating the design of service systems, decision makers usually favor analytical analysis of the models over simulation methods, due to the prohibitive computation time required to obtain optimal solutions for service operation problems involving multidimensional stochastic networks. However, queueing networks that can be solved analytically require strong assumptions that are rarely satisfied, whereas realistic models that exhibit complicated dependence structure are prohibitively hard to analyze exactly. In this thesis, we continue the effort to develop useful analytical performance approximations for the single-class open queueing network with Markovian routing, unlimited waiting space and the first-come first-served service discipline. We focus on open queueing networks where the external arrival processes are not Poisson and the service times are not exponential. We develop a new non-parametric robust queueing algorithm for the performance approximation in single-server queues. With robust optimization techniques, the underlying stochastic processes are replaced by samples from suitably defined uncertainty sets and the worst-case scenario is analyzed. We show that this worst-case characterization of the performance measure is asymptotically exact for approximating the mean steady-state workload in G/G/1 models in both the light-traffic and heavy-traffic limits, under mild regularity conditions. In our non-parametric Robust Queueing formulation, we focus on the customer flows, defined as the continuous-time processes counting customers in or out of the network, or flowing from one queue to another. Each flow is partially characterized by a continuous function that measures the change of stochastic variability over time. This function is called the index of dispersion for counts. The Robust Queueing algorithm converts the index of dispersion for counts into approximations of the performance measures. We show the advantage of using index of dispersion for counts in queueing approximation by a renewal process characterization theorem and the ordering of the mean steady-state workload in GI/M/1 models. To develop generalized algorithm for open queueing networks, we first establish the heavy-traffic limit theorem for the stationary departure flows from a GI/GI/1 model. We show that the index of dispersion for counts function of the stationary departure flow can be approximately characterized as the convex combination of the arrival index of dispersion for counts and service index of dispersion for counts with a time-dependent weight function, revealing the non-trivial impact of the traffic intensity on the departure processes. This heavy-traffic limit theorem is further generalized into a joint heavy-traffic limit for the stationary customer flows in generalized Jackson networks, where the external arrival are characterized by independent renewal processes and the service times are independent and identically distributed random variables, independent of the external arrival processes. We show how these limiting theorems can be exploited to establish a set of linear equations, whose solution serves as approximations of the index of dispersion for counts of the flows in an open queueing network. We prove that this set of equations is asymptotically exact in approximating the index of dispersion for counts of the stationary flows. With the index of dispersion for counts available, the network is decomposed into single-server queues and the Robust Queueing algorithm can be applied to obtain performance approximation. This algorithm is referred to as the Robust Queueing Network Analyzer. We perform extensive simulation study to validate the effectiveness of our algorithm. We show that our algorithm can be applied not only to models with non-exponential distirbutions but also to models with more complex arrival processes than renewal processes, including those with Markovian arrival processes

Validity of heavy traffic steady-state approximations in generalized Jackson Networks

We consider a single class open queueing network, also known as a generalized Jackson network (GJN). A classical result in heavy-traffic theory asserts that the sequence of normalized queue length processes of the GJN converge weakly to a reflected Brownian motion (RBM) in the orthant, as the traffic intensity approaches unity. However, barring simple instances, it is still not known whether the stationary distribution of RBM provides a valid approximation for the steady-state of the original network. In this paper we resolve this open problem by proving that the re-scaled stationary distribution of the GJN converges to the stationary distribution of the RBM, thus validating a so-called ``interchange-of-limits'' for this class of networks. Our method of proof involves a combination of Lyapunov function techniques, strong approximations and tail probability bounds that yield tightness of the sequence of stationary distributions of the GJN.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/105051605000000638 in the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Correction. Brownian models of open processing networks: canonical representation of workload

Due to a printing error the above mentioned article [Annals of Applied Probability 10 (2000) 75--103, doi:10.1214/aoap/1019737665] had numerous equations appearing incorrectly in the print version of this paper. The entire article follows as it should have appeared. IMS apologizes to the author and the readers for this error. A recent paper by Harrison and Van Mieghem explained in general mathematical terms how one forms an ``equivalent workload formulation'' of a Brownian network model. Denoting by $Z(t)$ the state vector of the original Brownian network, one has a lower dimensional state descriptor $W(t)=MZ(t)$ in the equivalent workload formulation, where $M$ can be chosen as any basis matrix for a particular linear space. This paper considers Brownian models for a very general class of open processing networks, and in that context develops a more extensive interpretation of the equivalent workload formulation, thus extending earlier work by Laws on alternate routing problems. A linear program called the static planning problem is introduced to articulate the notion of ``heavy traffic'' for a general open network, and the dual of that linear program is used to define a canonical choice of the basis matrix $M$. To be specific, rows of the canonical $M$ are alternative basic optimal solutions of the dual linear program. If the network data satisfy a natural monotonicity condition, the canonical matrix $M$ is shown to be nonnegative, and another natural condition is identified which ensures that $M$ admits a factorization related to the notion of resource pooling.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/105051606000000583 in the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Asymptotic optimality of maximum pressure policies in stochastic processing networks

We consider a class of stochastic processing networks. Assume that the networks satisfy a complete resource pooling condition. We prove that each maximum pressure policy asymptotically minimizes the workload process in a stochastic processing network in heavy traffic. We also show that, under each quadratic holding cost structure, there is a maximum pressure policy that asymptotically minimizes the holding cost. A key to the optimality proofs is to prove a state space collapse result and a heavy traffic limit theorem for the network processes under a maximum pressure policy. We extend a framework of Bramson [Queueing Systems Theory Appl. 30 (1998) 89--148] and Williams [Queueing Systems Theory Appl. 30 (1998b) 5--25] from the multiclass queueing network setting to the stochastic processing network setting to prove the state space collapse result and the heavy traffic limit theorem. The extension can be adapted to other studies of stochastic processing networks.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/08-AAP522 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org