Optimal control of a removable and non-reliable server in a markovian queueing system with finite capacity

Abstract This paper studies the economic behavior of a removable and non-reliable server in an Markovian queueing system with finite capacity under steady-state conditions. The removable server applies the N policy which turns the server on when the queue length reaches the value N , and turns the server off when the system is empty. The server may break down only if operating and require repair at a repair facility. Interarrival and service times of the customers, and breakdown and repair times of the server, are assumed to follow a negative exponential distribution. A cost model is developed to determine the optimal operating N policy numerically in order to minimize the total expected cost per unit time.