Queueing in a memory-shared computer*

Multiple console, shared digital computers represent a new concept in computer design, in which emphasis is placed on ease of user communication with the machine, and rapid machine response to commands. A complete description of machine response characteristics must include the statistical behavior brought about by queues in the system. The numerical solution of a complex queueing model is one way of predicting the statistical response characteristics, and models incorporating a good deal of realism can be rapidly solved. To illustrate this viewpoint in a simple way, a queueing model has been developed for a multi-console computer with a multiply shared memory. The relation of the model to a physical system is described in detail, and the numerical solutions discussed. 50