Optimal control of the N policy M/G/1 queueing system with server breakdowns and general startup times

This paper deals with an N policy M/G/1 queueing system with a single removable and unreliable server whose arrivals form a Poisson process. Service times, repair times, and startup times are assumed to be generally distributed. When the queue length reaches N(N ⩾ 1), the server is immediately turned on but is temporarily unavailable to serve the waiting customers. The server needs a startup time before providing service until there are no customers in the system. We analyze various system performance measures and investigate some designated known expected cost function per unit time to determine the optimal threshold N at a minimum cost. Sensitivity analysis is also studied.