We consider a single-server queue with renewal arrivals and i.i.d. service
times, in which the server employs either the preemptive Shortest Remaining
Processing Time (SRPT) policy, or its non-preemptive variant, Shortest Job
First (SJF). We show that for given stochastic primitives (initial condition,
arrival and service processes), the model has the same fluid limit under either
policy. In particular, we conclude that the well-known queue length optimality
of preemptive SRPT is also achieved, asymptotically on fluid scale, by the
simpler-to-implement SJF policy. We also conclude that on fluid scale, SJF and
SRPT achieve the same performance with respect to response times of the
longest-waiting jobs in the system.Comment: 24 page