Optimal Control and Trunk Reservation in Loss Networks

Abstract

Consider a stochastic loss network, where calls or customer types arrive and have to find a path through the network to a given destination, and where our aim is to maximize the gain (suitably defined) from the network. In general there will be a number of paths available, and when a call arrives the two questions to answer are first, should the call be accepted, and secondly, if it is accepted which route should it take? The answer to the first question is in some sense harder than the second, and all dynamic routing or control policies have some explicit or implicit mechanism for rejecting calls and so answer the question in some way.