Active Idleness Scheduler with Simulated Annealing ?

In this paper we address the problem of optimizing the Time Window Controller (TW-Controller). This controller was first introduced in 2001 as a supervising mechanism for distributed scheduling of multiclass queuing networks with the objective of stabilizing those networks. It was then also shown that the TW-Controller possesses the ability to improve performance of stable networks. We revise the controller and present a series of formal results concerning its main properties and features. Then, we propose to use Simulated Annealing on a simulation-based optimization approach and present numerical results that demonstrate the controller’s ability to improve performance over any given scheduling policy.