e-Learning Blog

Have you heard of the term "server down"? It refers to when a server stops functioning due to overload or equipment failure caused by high traffic. Have you ever experienced being redirected to a page saying "access is concentrated" while trying to purchase tickets? If you finally manage to connect, you may find that the tickets are already sold out, which can lead to uncontrollable emotions.

How was the ticket sales for the exciting Olympics in Japan? Many people may think, "It must have been tough even without the server crash." In fact, the official ticket sales site for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics used a "waiting room function" to avoid connection issues caused by high traffic.

The waiting room function is a feature that redirects users to other websites when there is too much access to the system. This can be compared to people waiting in long lines at a popular ramen restaurant. When all the seats inside the restaurant are full, customers will line up outside. As seats become available, customers will be guided into the restaurant in the order they lined up. Similarly, when the maximum number of accesses to the system is exceeded (when it is full), users will be directed to a virtual waiting room and those who are waiting will be guided into the system first.

Users who are waiting are not just waiting. They can check their turn and estimated wait time on the waiting screen. By registering their email address, the system will notify them by email when their turn comes. Users can enter the system from the URL in the email. This is mainly used for ticket sales and reservation sites where access is concentrated.

In this blog, we will introduce the services of Queue-it (headquartered in Denmark, Copenhagen, established in 2010) that provides this waiting room function.

Queue-it is a tool provided by Queue-it that controls website traffic, also known as a waiting room function. (Queue-it) If the traffic exceeds the website's processing capacity, Queue-it will send users to a virtual waiting queue. This helps distribute server load and improve website stability and performance. It offers the following features:

・Manages a fair waiting queue. Processes users based on first-come, first-served or specific priority rules, and enforces strict controls to prevent fraud and skipping.
・Users in the waiting queue will see a customizable waiting screen. This screen provides information such as their position and estimated wait time, and can be adjusted to match the brand's image.
・When a user enters the waiting queue, they can receive notifications (via email or SMS) when their wait is over. Once the queue is finished, the user will be automatically redirected and able to access the website.
・Monitors real-time data on the status of the waiting queue, wait time, and number of users, and provides detailed reports. This allows for understanding of traffic trends and performance, and can be used for future planning and optimization.

Queue-it is used for large online events and sales sites. There are also examples of using it as a reservation site for local government vaccination sites.Example of use

We conducted an online exam using Queue-it at a certain university. We will introduce an actual example of how it was conducted.

At this university, we have been using an online learning management system with Moodle since before the pandemic to conduct classes, but final exams were held with students coming to school and taking the test on campus. The university had been considering this for some time, but starting last year, we decided to conduct exams online. One concern was that when many students started the test at the same time, there would be a concentration of access to the system, making it difficult for some students to start the test on time. To avoid server downtime, we prepared a Moodle server with an expected number of simultaneous accesses, but in case of more usage than expected, we used this Queue-it waiting room function.

To start this waiting room function, we first set the maximum number of students' access to the online exam, taking into consideration the current system specifications. If the number of accesses exceeds the limit, students will be directed to the waiting room (waiting screen). Then, they will be guided to the online exam in order of arrival based on the access limit.

We have made it possible for waiting students to be informed of their turn and estimated wait time on the waiting screen. This waiting screen can be customized to display the university logo and change the message content to something more understandable for the university.

In addition, we have also implemented a notification function via email. Students will be asked to register their email addresses. Then, when they become eligible to enter while waiting, a URL for entry will be issued and a notification will be sent via email. This eliminates the need for students to wait in front of their PCs for a long time. However, in reality, there was no need to wait long enough to receive the email.

The waiting students have set a time limit in hours for entering the online exam. This allows students who do not enter within a certain time even when their turn comes to leave the waiting room and allow the next waiting student to enter.

The final exam, which was conducted online for the first time, was able to be completed without any confusion. Situations such as "unable to access" or "server down" were avoided. After the exam, logs such as actual access numbers and waiting times can be obtained, so the university can check usage status and prepare for the next final exam.

The impact of the COVID-19 infection is gradually decreasing, but the online learning management system that was introduced hastily at first is now being utilized more and more. Some universities have resumed face-to-face classes, but online classes are also continuing, and classes are being conducted in a hybrid manner. The waiting room function is one effective solution for realizing online exams. We also hear from universities about how to verify the identity of the person taking the exam and prevent cheating. As a result, there are now many services available for this purpose. In the future, we hope to introduce these services on this blog. We will continue to strive to provide a better online learning environment.

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