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Practical Queuing Analysis

Mike Tanner / Hardcover / Published 1994

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Review written by Peter Vincent, Vinntec Limited

The performance of a network can be calculated using fairly straightforward mathematics, based on the network's average or steady-state behaviour using Queuing Theory. This is a technique which is just what it says - the study of queuing! Underlying this is the concept of randomness: Messages are generated randomly in a network at some average rate; customers arrive at a bank counter randomly. Of course, this is rarely strictly true - a message stream in a network may depend upon completion of a previous stream; a bank customer might visit the bank only on Thursdays. However, provided the sample is large enough, the behaviour can be approximated in this way - and predicted using some fairly simple mathematics.

As Mike shows using practical examples in the book, similar techniques can be used for computer systems, data networks, voice networks, call centres - as well as queues in banks and supermarkets!

The book concentrates on the ways in which queuing theory can be put to work in practical situations - Mike provides the appropriate formula to apply, not the mathematical derivation. It is therefore well suited to anyone contemplating using queuing theory to analyse the performance of an existing or proposed communications network - a technique with which I believe every network designer should have some familiarity. Many of the calculations can be performed on a straight-forward spreadsheet. Included in the book is a simple PC tool for testing the theories, 'Q-Calc', as well as source code in Pascal.

My article in the Local Links Business Library on LAN Performance, shows a simple application of queuing analysis to calculate the performance of an Ethernet Local Area Network - using equations taken from this book.

I worked with Mike for several years when we were both Network Design Consultants for IBM in the late 1980s. Indeed, he was responsible for creating some of the network design tools we used in those days: MESH, for optimising the cost of data networks; and, MAZE, which handled voice networks. Believe me he knows what he is talking about when it comes to network design methods - and queuing theory was always one of his favourite occupations.

If you have comments about this review or about the Local Links Network Design Bookshop, please contact me - peter_vincent@vinntec.co.uk