Exact tail asymptotics for a discrete-time preemptive priority queue

Abstract

In this paper, we consider a discrete-time preemptive priority queue with different service rates for two classes of customers, one with high-priority and the other with low-priority. This model corresponds to the classical preemptive priority queueing system with two classes of independent Poisson customers and a single exponential server. Due to the possibility of customers' arriving and departing at the same time in a discrete-time queue, the model considered in this paper is more complicated. In this model, we focus on the characterization of exact tail asymptotics for the joint stationary distribution of the queue length of the two classes of customers, for the two boundary distributions and for the two marginal distributions, respectively. By using generating functions and kernel method, we get an explicit expression of exact tail asymptotics along the low-priority queue direction, as well as along the high-priority queue direction.