Introduction to Matrix Analytic Methods in Queues 1

9Applications

In this chapter, we list a few applications of matrix-analytic methods (MAM) in the context of queueing systems in practice. These are not meant to be exhaustive but rather to allow readers the chance to appreciate the usefulness of queueing models, especially the ones that give implementable and meaningful solutions for practitioners. Also, not all of these applications are new. There is an enormous amount of literature available and one can simply search the Internet for examples. The main purpose of this section is to point out a few as a way to motivate readers and to transition into Volume 2 discussing queueing models.

The worked-out illustrative examples and the problems in exercises presented in Chapters 3 through 8 are deliberately given generically so that the readers can see how they can be applied in various real-life applications. For example, the customers mentioned in an example can be changed to messages in telecommunications application or patients in healthcare situations. The key is to identify a suitable queueing system and obtain implementable solutions.

On a day-to-day basis we come across items that have either manufacturing aspects or service aspects or both. Manufacturing and service industries invariably use queueing models in one form or the other to identify ways to increase the productivity as well as to optimize the allocation of the limited resources. In manufacturing and service industries, due to the inherent difficulty present ...