[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – May 2008


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 (MAY08, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     412836  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
  2     376398  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     362773  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     335508  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  5     322967  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-67.0.1.ELsmp)
  6     297535  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  7     293027  XB1.BOOKSAMILLION.COM (Linux 2.6.18-53.1.14.el5xen)
  8     263871  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  9     256745  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 10     240573  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8)
 11     238912  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 12     230709  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     196848  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 14     194401  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 15     180506  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 16     174639  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17     172970  LISTS.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-53.1.14.el5)
 18     164131  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 19     151575  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 20     150996  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 May 2008)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2676040  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2114829  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-52.ELsmp)
  3     1940262  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  5     1113761  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-67.0.1.ELsmp)
  6     1102623  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  7     1034932  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  8      918544  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  9      908594  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 10      906995  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11      876593  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
 12      783767  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp)
 13      747952  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 14      740416  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 15      725876  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 16      708635  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 17      705886  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18      682268  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 19      657626  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 20      643477  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 May 2008)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 65086  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2 20047  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-52.ELsmp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 10677  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp)
  5 10573  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  6  9233  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  7  8865  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  8  8397  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  9  6727  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 10  6558  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 11  5182  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 12  5175  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 13  5120  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-67.0.1.ELsmp)
 14  5102  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15  5087  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 16  5029  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 17  4362  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 18  4311  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 19  4177  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20  4077  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (MAY08, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     397710  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
  2     350463  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     326933  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  4     315346  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-67.0.1.ELsmp)
  5     294833  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  6     263215  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  7     235593  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8)
  8     234805  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  9     230709  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10     224005  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 11     194327  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 12     187328  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 13     172970  LISTS.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-53.1.14.el5)
 14     168619  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 15     153296  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 16     146854  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 17     146592  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 18     146167  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 19     137275  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 20     132341  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 May 2008)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      127083  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18.8-0.7-default)
  2      122840  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  3       96044  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  4       78352  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       76191  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  6       74030  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  7       69689  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  8       64952  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  9       64494  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 10       57638  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       52806  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 12       47208  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 13       46474  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 14       46146  SURFSPOT@NIC.SURFNET.NL (Windows Enterprise Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15       44574  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 16       40631  L-PSU-TRAVEL-PROGRAM@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 17       37886  NOTICE-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 18       36960  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 19       36802  DIVERSITY-NEWS-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 20       35051  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)