Interdependence of booking and queuing in remote laboratory scheduling

Optimized scheduling can significantly improve the utilization level of Remote Access Laboratories (RAL) resources and decrease the waiting time. Current RAL systems have typically supported either booking or queuing, though rarely both. In this paper we investigate issues that arise when a single RAL resource (or pool of resources) supports both modes for gaining access. This research analyses the scheduling algorithm utilized by the Sahara RAL system in order to investigate any limitations that affect the system utilization. We identify a number of current issues and propose specific modifications to address them. The proposed modifications should lead to increased utilization and improved student experience, and hence widen the scope of RAL usage.