Stationary analysis of a tandem queue with coupled processors subject to global breakdowns

Abstract

We consider a tandem queue with coupled processors, which is subject to global breakdowns. When the network is in the operating mode and both queues are non empty, the total service capacity is shared among the stations according to fixed proportions. When one of the stations becomes empty, the total service capacity is given to the non-empty station. Moreover, arrival rates depend on the state of the network. The system is described by a Markov modulated random walk in the quarter plane representing the number of jobs in the two stations and the state of the network. By applying the generating function approach, we first apply the power series approximation method to obtain power series expansions of the generating function of the stationary queue lengths for both network states. Then, we also provide a way to derive the generating function of the stationary queue lengths for both network states in terms of the solution of a Riemann-Hilbert boundary value problem. Numerical results are obtained to show insights in the system performance.