TRACKING A RELATIVE ARRIVAL ORDER OF EVENTS BEING STORED IN MULTIPLE QUEUES USING A COUNTER

An order controller calculates an absolute value of a difference between a first counter value stored with a first next entry set to an active status in a first queue from among at least two queues and a second counter value stored with a second next entry set to the active status in a second queue. The order controller compares the absolute value with a counter midpoint value. The order controller, responsive to the absolute value being less than the counter midpoint value, selects a smaller value of the first counter value of the first counter value and the second counter value as a next event to process. The order controller, responsive to the absolute value being greater than or equal to the counter midpoint value, selects a larger value of the first counter value and the second counter value as the next event to process.