e-Learning Blog

Do you know the term "server crash"? It refers to a "server down" situation. This is when the server's functions stop due to overload from concentrated access or equipment failure. Have you ever been redirected to a page saying "Access is concentrated" during ticket sales? If you think you've connected but the tickets are already sold out, you might feel an uncontrollable surge of emotions.

How was the ticket sales for the Olympics, which generated a lot of excitement in Japan? Many people probably think, "Even if it didn't lead to a server crash, it must have been really difficult to connect." In fact, the official ticket sales site for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics used a "waiting room function" to avoid the problem of being unable to connect due to such concentrated access.

The waiting room function is a feature that directs users to another website to wait when there are too many accesses to the system. This can be compared to a popular ramen shop where people wait in a long line. When all the seats inside the shop are full, customers line up outside. As seats become available, customers are guided inside in the order they lined up. Similarly, when the number of accesses to the system exceeds the limit (full capacity), users are directed to a virtual waiting room, and those waiting in line are guided into the system in order.

Users who are waiting are not just waiting passively. They can see their position in line and the estimated waiting time on the waiting screen. By registering their email address, the system will notify them by email when their turn comes. Users can then access the system via the URL included in that email. This feature is mainly used on ticket sales and reservation sites where access is highly concentrated.

This blog introduces the service Queue-it, which provides this waiting room function (Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark. Established in 2010).

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

・Manages a fair waiting queue. Users are processed based on a first-come, first-served basis or specific priority rules, with strict controls to prevent fraud and queue skipping.
・Displays a customizable waiting screen to users while they wait. This screen provides information such as their position in line and estimated wait time, and the design can be adjusted to match the brand image.
・When users enter the waiting queue, they can receive notifications of queue completion via notification options such as email or SMS. Once the queue ends, users are automatically redirected and allowed to enter the website.
・Monitors queue status, wait times, number of users, and other data in real time, providing detailed reports. This helps understand traffic trends and performance, aiding future planning and optimization.

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

An online exam using Queue-it was conducted at a certain university. Here, we introduce an example of how it was implemented.

At this university, Moodle had been introduced as an online learning management system across the entire school before COVID-19, and classes were conducted using it. However, final exams required students to come to campus and take the tests in the school building. The university had been carefully considering options for some time, and from last year, they decided to conduct exams online. At that time, there was concern that when many students started the exam simultaneously, system access would become congested, making it difficult to connect and causing some students to be unable to start the exam on time. Therefore, they prepared Moodle servers assuming the number of simultaneous accesses, but anticipating usage beyond expectations, they used Queue-it’s waiting room feature to avoid server downtime.

To activate this waiting room feature, we first set a limit on the number of student accesses to the online exam, taking into account the current system specifications. When the number of accesses exceeds the limit, students are directed to the waiting room (waiting screen). Then, based on the access limit, students are guided to the online exam on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students waiting were informed of their turn and estimated waiting time on the waiting screen. This waiting screen can be customized, so the university's logo was displayed, and the message content was also changed by the university to be easy to understand.

Additionally, an email notification feature was made available. Students register their email addresses, and when it becomes their turn to enter while waiting, a URL for entry is issued and notified by email. This eliminates the need for students to wait in front of their PCs the entire time. However, in reality, they did not have to wait long enough to receive an email.

A time limit for students waiting to enter the online exam was set in hourly units. This allows students who do not enter within a certain time after their turn has come to be removed from the waiting room, enabling the next waiting student to enter.

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

Although the impact of the COVID-19 infection is gradually diminishing, the online learning management system that was urgently introduced at the beginning has gradually been utilized more and has become more robust. Some universities have resumed face-to-face classes, but online classes continue, and they are conducting hybrid classes. The waiting room function is one of the effective solutions to realize online exams. We also hear from universities about concerns such as how to conduct identity verification and prevent cheating. Many services for these purposes have become widely available. In the future, we hope to introduce those services on this blog as well. We will continue to work on providing a better online learning environment.

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