[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – August 2006


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 (AUG06, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     475922  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  2     427364  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     393192  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  4     383853  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server)
  5     382315  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
  6     327275  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  7     306853  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  8     304381  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  9     300000  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
 10     252391  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11     228615  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 12     208542  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 13     207924  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     207683  EMA3LSV01.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     205605  EMAIL.EBGAMES.COM (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16     199797  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     197443  MAILER.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 18     191581  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 19     174808  LISTS.LDS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     168465  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-22.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2006)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     3636261  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2426786  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
  3     1840268  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  4     1430560  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
  5     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  6     1089303  LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  7      948522  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  8      866595  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
  9      847096  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 10      786752  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 3.0)
 11      769763  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 12      762443  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13      740301  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-22.0.2.ELsmp)
 14      731437  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      720527  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.27-grsec)
 16      711452  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      682390  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18      673549  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
 19      641470  LISTSERV.VERSUS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20      637663  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 Aug 2006)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 47062  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2 24560  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3 22659  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
  4 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  5 10105  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Solaris 2.8)
  6  9063  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.27-grsec)
  7  6799  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  8  6130  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-22.0.2.ELsmp)
  9  5869  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 10  5567  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11  4850  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12  4569  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 13  4507  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 14  4385  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
 15  4337  MARIST (VM/SP 1.0)
 16  4294  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17  3920  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18  3846  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19  3787  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
 20  2983  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (AUG06, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     452959  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  2     395912  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  3     394524  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     369522  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.ELsmp)
  5     341920  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server)
  6     333691  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  7     308596  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  8     299614  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  9     285177  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
 10     247869  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 11     231146  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 12     207924  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     203435  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 14     197249  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     175909  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 16     174801  LISTS.LDS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17     167548  LISTS.AIESEC.NET (Linux 2.6.8-2-686)
 18     160630  LIST.SENIORWEB.NL (Windows 2000 Server)
 19     158769  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20     156704  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-22.ELsmp)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2006)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      375856  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      139089  SOCIALSECURITY_W2NEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      122841  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  4      101832  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.11.4-21.12-smp)
  5       82505  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
  6       78731  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  7       76217  FIRSTGOV-L@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  8       68317  FEDINFO@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9       67316  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 10       63429  CARE2@MILEPOST1.COM (Linux 2.4.20-31.9smp)
 11       55933  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 12       52926  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-22.0.2.ELsmp)
 13       52812  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 14       51856  ARTINFO-L@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
 15       47677  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.4.27-grsec)
 16       46769  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 17       45521  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 18       42004  L-SMEALZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 19       41871  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 4.3)
 20       39192  QCIINT@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)