The Optimal Control of Heterogeneous Queueing Systems: A Paradigm for Load-Sharing and Routing

AbstmctThe essence of the basic control decisions implicit in load sharing and routing algorithms is captured in a simple model of heterogeneous queue control. We solve for the optimal control policy and investigate the performance of previously proposed policies in a tractable limit of this model. Using our understanding of this solvable limit, we propose heuristic policies for the general model. Simulation data on these policies suggest that they perform well over a wide range of system parameters.