Don't get carried away during batch processing times and allow a massive queue, because the operating system must manage processing scheduling. The longer the queue, the more time the operating must spend managing the queue. The key is to ensure there is always a process ready to run, not a hundred processes ready to run.

Obviously, we need to quantify the length of the queue and the busyness of the CPU subsystem. This is the focus of the next section.

So far, I have conveniently left out how to measure CPU activity or quantify how long of a queue is too long. Now is the time to delve into the specifics.