[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – October 2007


There are many possible ways to measure the relative "importance" or "size" of LISTSERV sites: number of lists, number of subscribers, number of messages delivered, etc. In most cases, the number of messages delivered is used to rank mailing list managers, because it is the most accurate measurement of the amount of activity on the server. But, depending on what you are looking for, other variables may be more appropriate. There are currently three LISTSERV "Top 20" lists, ranking the various servers according to:

In addition, you can view a list of the Top 20 lists in the network (by number of subscribers).

What do these numbers mean exactly?

The statistics are gathered daily by a monitor at L-Soft which polls all the LISTSERV sites that participate in the "open" LISTSERV network over the worldwide Internet. Corporate servers operating in a "closed" environment are not included.

The statistics are organized in monthly reports. The message volume figures are a flat average of the accumulated traffic for the entire month. Thus, a server that delivers 300,000 messages per month will show a daily average of 10,000 messages. In practice, there is a lot less traffic during the weekend, and even during business days there can be significant fluctuations (~30%). The list statistics (number of lists, number of subscribers, largest lists in the network) are measured as of the last day in the month.

For the current month, the message volume figures are averaged based on the number of days that have elapsed. In practice, the figures are not very meaningful in the first few days, especially if the month starts on a weekend. In that case it is best to refer to the previous month for more accurate figures.

A fourth "Top 20" list is available for the more technically oriented: Number of messages generated by the server. This corresponds to the number of mail messages created by the server while processing postings to its mailing lists. LISTSERV delivers its mail using an intelligent mail delivery function called DISTRIBUTE, which improves mail delivery times and reduces bandwidth usage by spreading the delivery chore over scores of participating servers. Each of these servers processes the recipients for its service area (typically its organization or campus). In most cases, DISTRIBUTE simply alters the manner in which the mail is delivered, and the number of messages forwarded to other sites for optimized delivery is roughly equal to the number of messages received by other sites for the same purpose. In some cases, however, this is not the case, either because the server elected to serve a much wider service area than its own organization, or because it is explicitly forwarding all its deliveries to another machine (for instance, many mainframe-based servers forward their mail to a workstation or PC for delivery).


Top 20 sites by volume delivered daily (OCT07, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1    2831114  LSRV.ORIGINALKEEPSAKE.COM (Windows NT 5.2 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2    2810052  LSRV.ORIGINALFONDNESS.COM (Windows NT 5.2 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3    1272816  LSRV.TRACEDTRACTION.COM (Windows NT 5.2 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     451242  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     446179  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  6     416396  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7     403074  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  8     378722  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  9     377665  EMA3LSV01.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     350265  MAILSENDER2.ZOOMERANG.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     333609  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
 12     325168  MAESTRO3.AZCENTRAL.COM (Linux 2.6.9-55.ELsmp + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     308028  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 14     299291  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 15     275654  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 16     263744  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17     263337  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     262801  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 19     243968  LISTSERV.SHAW.CA (Linux 2.6.9-5.ELsmp)
 20     234122  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 Oct 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2394980  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2086015  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  3     1982016  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     1949642  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  5     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  6     1114317  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  7     1088257  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  8      902494  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows 2000 Advanced Server)
  9      893861  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
 10      818833  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 11      808984  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
 12      802571  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 13      785117  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 14      772711  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 15      768988  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      747908  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 17      731437  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18      714383  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 19      675744  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 20      660644  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 Oct 2007)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 40671  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2 19669  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 18160  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5 11430  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  6 10357  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
  7  8661  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  8  8009  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  9  6483  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 10  6327  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp)
 11  6311  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 12  5653  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 13  5578  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 14  4847  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 15  4845  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 16  4817  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 17  4742  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18  4199  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19  4120  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20  4119  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (OCT07, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     440939  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     438028  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  3     399808  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     370961  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  5     318807  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  6     307567  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  7     271490  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  8     263274  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
  9     260255  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     256823  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11     238294  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 12     228319  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8)
 13     226035  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 14     221708  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 15     214280  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 16     204907  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     201613  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18     185993  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19     183685  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 20     181693  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 Oct 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      123863  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18.8-0.3-default)
  2      122840  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  3       86364  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  4       79555  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       74043  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  6       73915  ARTINFO-L@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  7       65647  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  8       64542  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  9       57383  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
 10       54602  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       52807  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 12       48208  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 13       46994  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 14       45344  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 15       43629  SURFSPOT@NIC.SURFNET.NL (Windows Enterprise Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16       42500  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 17       37722  NOTICE-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 18       37008  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 19       36854  DIVERSITY-NEWS-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 20       34520  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)