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Online in-time service problem with minimal server assignment

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Abstract

This paper proposes an online in-time service problem with minimal server assignment where the objective is to minimize the number of used servers. We mainly focus on the scenario where an offline optimal solution requires exactly two servers. For the case with general metric space, we present a 3 / 2-competitive algorithm, and also prove a matching lower bound. For a special case where the metric space is the positive axis, we present an online algorithm being optimally 1-competitive.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants 71131006, 71532007, and 71172197.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, People’s Republic of China

    Shanxiu Jiang & Li Luo

Authors
  1. Shanxiu Jiang
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  2. Li Luo
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Correspondence to Shanxiu Jiang.

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Jiang, S., Luo, L. Online in-time service problem with minimal server assignment. J Comb Optim 37, 114–122 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10878-017-0215-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10878-017-0215-0

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