Stochastic Operations Research (SOR)

Multi-class queues and stochastic networks – LNMB Fall 2022

Course information on LNMB website

Announcement


Course description: 


Complex stochastic systems, like communication systems, computer networks and manufacturing systems, may often be modeled as queueing networks with multiple nodes and/or multiple classes. The performance of these systems may be evaluated in terms of queue lengths, sojourn times or blocking probabilities. This course focuses on basic queueing networks for which performance measures can be obtained in closed form. First, the course focuses on a class of networks where the equilibrium distribution has a so-called product-form solution. Topics include the output theorem, reversibility, partial balance, quasi reversibility and product-form. Examples include Jackson networks, Kelly-Whittle networks, BCMP networks, loss networks and processor sharing networks. Second, the course considers the sojourn time distribution in simple networks. Third, computation of performance measures often requires effcient algorithms. To this end, Mean Value Analysis and approximation techniques will be studied. 

Detailed content: 


reversibility, stationarity, basic queues, output theorem, feedforward networks 
- partial balance, Jackson network, Kelly-Whittle netwerk, arrival theorem 
- quasi-reversibility, customer types, BCMP networks, bandwidth sharing networks 
- blocking, aggregation, decomposition 
- loss networks, insensitivity via phase-type distributions 
- sojourn time distribution in networks 
- MVA 

Lecture notes:

Additional material lectures 6 - 9:

Literature:

Prerequisites: 
The participants should have followed courses in probability theory, stochastic processes and queueing theory.
Examination: 
Take home problems.

Address of the lectureres:
Prof.dr. Richard J. Boucherie 
Stochastic Operations Research; Department of Applied Mathematics; Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science; University of Twente,
P.O. Box 217 NL-7500 AE Enschede 
Phone: 053-4893432 Email: r.j.boucherie@utwente.nl

Schedule of lectures: 

Sept 12, 19, 26: Lecture f2f in Utrecht

Oct 3: no class (but time to prepare the first exerciseset to be handed in Oct 10 before start of lecture). 

Oct 10: Via a video lecture (prerecorded) feedback will be provided on the exercises. Video released in the afternoon. 

Oct 10, 17, 24, 31, Nov 7: Lecture f2f in Utrecht

Nov 14: feedback f2f or on-line (to be discussed) on the second exerciseset to be handed in Nov 14 before start of lecture

SLIDES:

VIDEOS:

Videos of lectures in 2022, see surfdrive

Videos of lectures in 2020:

EXercises: