[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – May 2010


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 (MAY10, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     502094  XB1.BOOKSAMILLION.COM (Linux 2.6.18-194.3.1.el5xen)
  2     393367  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  3     341167  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-686-bigmem)
  4     339564  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  5     308358  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  6     300886  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
  7     219111  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  8     215674  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
  9     212885  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 10     210646  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 11     203938  NERDALERT.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5)
 12     193410  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 13     183518  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 14     173238  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 15     168689  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 16     167368  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17     162892  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     159454  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-128.2.1.el5)
 19     158266  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 20     155475  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 May 2010)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2681203  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     2635223  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-63.ELsmp)
  3     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4     1197195  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
  5     1113157  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
  6     1110187  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
  7     1046799  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-128.2.1.el5)
  8      968960  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp)
  9      934438  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
 10      918246  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 11      871295  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 12      849296  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
 13      829298  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.12-smp)
 14      818158  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 15      808252  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 16      723752  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 17      707361  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 18      699873  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
 19      692161  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.EL)
 20      690143  LISTSERV.KSU.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 May 2010)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 30359  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  2 20945  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-63.ELsmp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 10877  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp)
  5  8715  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  6  8369  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-128.2.1.el5)
  7  8152  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  8  8080  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
  9  6975  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-164.6.1.el5)
 10  5961  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11  5764  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.12-smp)
 12  5676  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 13  5597  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 14  5413  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15  5378  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 16  5342  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
 17  4490  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 18  4326  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 19  3994  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 20  3727  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (MAY10, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     381377  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  2     330190  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-686-bigmem)
  3     322984  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  4     303330  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  5     291662  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
  6     216364  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  7     206227  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  8     203956  NERDALERT.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5)
  9     193408  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 10     187748  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 11     187178  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 12     180741  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 13     171201  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 14     162532  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 15     162377  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 16     158086  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 17     157047  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-128.2.1.el5)
 18     154445  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     154037  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 20     139780  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.EL)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 May 2010)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      200051  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18.8-0.9-default)
  2       86920  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  3       76736  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  4       73212  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       66788  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  6       64056  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  7       52803  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  8       48811  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  9       44797  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 10       43045  EPLUS@VM1.HQADMIN.DOE.GOV (VM/SP 3.0)
 11       42888  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 12       37521  FOLKWAYS@SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 13       37053  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 14       36949  SKILLPORT-UHMAIN-STUDENTS@LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 15       36767  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 16       36589  DIVERSITY-NEWS-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17       34583  TCUATHLETICSDIRECTOR@LISTSERV.TCU.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 18       34477  MEDPROS-L@DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.10)
 19       34170  STUDENT-AT-TENNESSEE@LISTSERV.UTK.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 20       33857  FC-NYLIB@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)