Device Booking System

The booking system allows projects to reserve exclusive access to quantum devices for dedicated time periods. During a booking, the device behavior and job queue management change to ensure optimal resource utilization for the booking project.

How the Booking System Works

When a device is booked, its status changes based on the booking type:

Booking Type Device Status Who Can Submit Jobs Job Execution
Exclusive BOOKED All users Only booking project jobs execute
Offline OFFLINE No one No jobs execute
Maintenance MAINTENANCE Admin only System maintenance and calibration tasks

Maintenance Bookings and Calibration

Maintenance bookings are reserved for system administrators to perform device maintenance, and calibration. During maintenance periods:

  • The device status is set to MAINTENANCE
  • Job submissions from regular users will be rejected
  • Only administrative maintenance and calibration tasks can be executed
  • Maintenance bookings are not counted toward project usage

Calibration Schedule: Devices undergo regular calibration procedures daily from 2:00 AM to 4:30 AM. No bookings are allowed in these time slots. The device will return to normal operation once calibration is complete.

Job Submission Behavior

The booking system implements a dual-queue architecture that affects how your jobs are handled:

During Active Bookings

For the Booking Project:

  • Jobs execute immediately with dedicated access to the device
  • No competition with other projects for device resources

For Non-Booking Projects:

  • Jobs will remain in PENDING status until the booking period ends
  • Once the booking ends, pending jobs will be processed in order

After Booking Ends

  • Device status returns to ONLINE
  • Booking queue will be flushed after the booking ends
  • All pending jobs from non-booking projects resume execution
  • Normal queue processing resumes for all projects

Important Notes for Users

What You Can Do During Bookings

You can submit jobs anytime as the system accepts job submissions even during active bookings. The interface allows you to monitor job status and track your job’s progress through the normal workflow. Additionally, you can queue multiple jobs to build up a sequence of tasks that will execute automatically after the booking period ends.

What to Expect

When you submit jobs to a booked device, jobs will wait in the queue and remain pending until the booking period ends. The system uses first-in-first-out (FIFO) processing, meaning pending jobs execute in the order they were submitted once the device becomes available. Importantly, there is no job loss - all jobs submitted during bookings are safely queued and guaranteed to execute when the device is freed up.

Best Practices

To optimize your workflow with the booking system, check booking schedules before submitting time-sensitive jobs to avoid unexpected delays. It’s important to plan ahead for important experiments during known booking periods, allowing sufficient time for job completion. Regular monitoring of device status helps you understand current availability and make informed decisions about job submission timing. When working on urgent tasks, consider alternative devices if they’re available in your project to maintain productivity during booking periods.

Requesting and Managing Bookings

How to Request a New Booking

You can request a new device booking through two methods:

  1. QX Platform: Go to the booking section on your dashboard and create a new booking by filling in the form
  2. JSM (Jira Service Management): Contact the admin team through the Quantum Service Support portal under the Device Booking section

When requesting through either method, provide details about your project requirements, preferred time slots, and the specific device(s) you need to reserve.

How to Edit an Existing Booking

To edit an existing booking, cancel the current booking and add a new one with your updated requirements.

Booking Cancellation Policy

Bookings can only be cancelled up to 1 hour before the scheduled start time. After this cutoff, bookings cannot be cancelled and will be counted toward your project’s booking usage regardless of whether you utilize the reserved time. This policy ensures fair resource allocation and prevents last-minute cancellations that could leave quantum devices unused.