[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – March 2013


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 (MAR13, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     832446  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  2     488376  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-5-686-bigmem)
  3     466511  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     421974  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  5     384347  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  6     350296  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  7     342243  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  8     314977  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  9     288588  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 10     278493  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 11     270248  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
 12     258799  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13     249891  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 14     226331  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)
 15     206740  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 16     200394  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-274.18.1.el5)
 17     193022  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 18     185639  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 19     181267  LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 20     180725  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Mar 2013)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     3624543  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     3413863  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  3     1367024  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  4     1333944  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.25.ELsmp)
  5     1246794  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  6     1203253  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.x86_64)
  7     1170279  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
  8     1137333  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.1.1.el5)
  9     1095188  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.18-238.9.1.el5)
 10     1059036  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
 11      982170  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12      962182  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 13      932309  LISTSERV.KSU.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 14      912444  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 15      900560  LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.0.34-0.7-default)
 16      839757  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
 17      817662  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 4.0)
 18      751295  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)
 19      745987  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-308.el5)
 20      745613  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Mar 2013)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 39403  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  2 28170  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  3 24168  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  4 12852  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
  5 12546  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.25.ELsmp)
  6  9788  LISTS.CLEMSON.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-164.11.1.el5)
  7  9599  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
  8  8230  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.18-238.9.1.el5)
  9  7995  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-308.el5)
 10  6744  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.x86_64)
 11  6684  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12  6562  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 13  6319  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 14  5557  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 15  5503  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
 16  4665  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 17  4333  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 18  4027  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 19  3937  LISTS.QUEENSU.CA (Solaris 2.10)
 20  3675  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (MAR13, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     812502  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  2     474804  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-5-686-bigmem)
  3     460864  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     402918  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  5     372460  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  6     342894  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  7     339036  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  8     310261  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  9     277954  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 10     265347  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
 11     257988  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 12     257368  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13     247150  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 14     210498  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)
 15     203218  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 16     200272  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-274.18.1.el5)
 17     181704  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 18     181209  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 19     180555  LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 20     179889  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Mar 2013)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      252007  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.0.34-0.7-default)
  2       99716  COMNET@HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.x86_64)
  3       86994  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  4       74965  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       72327  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  6       69396  STUDENT-AT-TENNESSEE@LISTSERV.UTK.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  7       66551  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  8       64928  GLOBAL-LINKS@LISTSERV.ELCA.ORG (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9       62026  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 10       52803  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       50073  FOLKWAYS@SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12       47075  EXCEL@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 13       44554  ESCRIU-ME@LISTSERV.UV.ES (Linux 2.6.32-5-xen-686)
 14       44303  UICNEWS@LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 15       44053  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 16       41105  MOBCOMNEWSLETTER-L@DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.10)
 17       37250  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 18       36926  SKILLPORT-UHMAIN-STUDENTS@LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 19       36150  SAFETYNOTICE@LISTSERV.UC.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20       35923  WORLDWIDEWORDS@LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG (Linux 3.0.58-0.6.2-default)