[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – February 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 (FEB13, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     823355  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  2     522097  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  3     499998  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-5-686-bigmem)
  4     440601  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  5     427158  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  6     381555  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  7     338321  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  8     326575  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  9     324418  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
 10     320278  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 11     275432  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 12     272918  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13     262459  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 14     247830  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 15     241943  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 16     232843  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-274.18.1.el5)
 17     216675  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
 18     215668  LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 19     213040  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)
 20     210252  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.25.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2013)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     3418214  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     3413863  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  3     1364330  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  4     1321063  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.25.ELsmp)
  5     1216232  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  6     1200451  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.x86_64)
  7     1162017  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
  8     1137333  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.1.1.el5)
  9     1090065  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      985889  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12      962182  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 13      920070  LISTSERV.KSU.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 14      917064  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 15      909757  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 4.0)
 16      896813  LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.0.34-0.7-default)
 17      845735  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
 18      753718  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 19      751295  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)
 20      743275  LISTSERV.UA.EDU (Linux 3.0.26-0.7-default)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (28 Feb 2013)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 38914  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  2 28102  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  3 24168  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  4 12653  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
  5 12505  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  8175  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.18-238.9.1.el5)
  9  7960  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-308.el5)
 10  6737  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-220.7.1.el6.x86_64)
 11  6702  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 12  6319  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 13  6049  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 14  5551  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 15  5448  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
 16  4651  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 17  4287  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 18  4033  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 19  3930  LISTS.QUEENSU.CA (Solaris 2.10)
 20  3671  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (FEB13, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     802796  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  2     516355  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  3     485820  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-5-686-bigmem)
  4     419962  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  5     416299  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  6     375515  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.16.1.el5)
  7     335589  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  8     322676  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  9     317470  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-308.24.1.el5)
 10     289634  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 11     273436  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 12     271537  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13     262209  LISTSERV.MED.CORNELL.EDU (SunOS 5.10)
 14     239526  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 15     238878  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.42-0.7-default)
 16     232721  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-274.18.1.el5)
 17     215510  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-103.ELsmp)
 18     215044  LISTS.PRINCETON.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 19     207218  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.0.25.ELsmp)
 20     201076  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18-348.1.1.el5xen)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2013)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      249834  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.0.34-0.7-default)
  2       96581  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       69485  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       47081  EXCEL@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 13       44564  ESCRIU-ME@LISTSERV.UV.ES (Linux 2.6.32-5-xen-686)
 14       44409  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       36927  SKILLPORT-UHMAIN-STUDENTS@LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 19       36099  SAFETYNOTICE@LISTSERV.UC.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20       35781  WORLDWIDEWORDS@LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG (Linux 3.0.58-0.6.2-default)