[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – September 2019


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 (SEP19, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     799582  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
  2     714424  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  3     453513  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
  4     283029  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
  5     267683  DIGITAL.ANNEXBUSINESSMEDIA.COM (Linux 3.13.0-32-generic)
  6     255105  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Linux 2.6.32)
  7     238751  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
  8     234241  LIST.UNM.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-754.12.1.el6.x86_64)
  9     222424  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 10     219228  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 11     218783  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 12     210352  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Linux 2.6.32-504.3.3.el6.x86_64)
 13     208690  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 14     202995  LISTS.HAWAII.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-754.17.1.el6.x86_64)
 15     184674  LIST.ETSI.ORG (Windows Server 2016 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 16     167889  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-404.el5)
 17     167289  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 18     167240  LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard x64 Edition)
 19     167139  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-504.8.1.el6.x86_64)
 20     166449  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Sep 2019)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     5108481  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
  2     3827441  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
  3     2161162  LS.KULEUVEN.BE (Linux 2.6.32)
  4     1485048  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9)
  5     1383267  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  6     1381649  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
  7     1305626  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
  8     1282581  LISTSERV.UTORONTO.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
  9     1222767  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 10     1059036  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 11      982099  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 12      944029  LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 13      860295  LISTSERV.ECU.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 14      857017  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 15      843275  LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU (Windows Server 2016 Standard x64 Edition)
 16      818258  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 4.0)
 17      796683  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 18      795294  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 19      776747  LISTSERV.UA.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
 20      709642  LISTSERV.UC.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Sep 2019)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 27519  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
  2 16652  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
  3 14094  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9)
  4 11104  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  5  9788  LISTS.CLEMSON.EDU (Linux 2.6.18)
  6  9599  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
  7  8079  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.32)
  8  7949  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
  9  7168  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Linux 2.6.32)
 10  6696  LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU (Windows Server 2016 Standard x64 Edition)
 11  6017  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 12  5467  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 13  5055  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
 14  4648  LS.KULEUVEN.BE (Linux 2.6.32)
 15  4372  LISTSERV.UTORONTO.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
 16  4264  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 17  4020  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 18  4017  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 19  3998  LISTS.QUEENSU.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
 20  3542  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (SEP19, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     798147  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
  2     687611  JISCMAIL.AC.UK (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
  3     448789  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
  4     282901  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 3.10.0)
  5     247201  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Linux 2.6.32)
  6     234025  LIST.UNM.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-754.12.1.el6.x86_64)
  7     232450  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
  8     216488  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  9     213899  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 10     207662  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Linux 2.6.32-504.3.3.el6.x86_64)
 11     207607  LISTS.UFL.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 12     202325  LISTS.HAWAII.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-754.17.1.el6.x86_64)
 13     184152  LIST.ETSI.ORG (Windows Server 2016 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 14     178992  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 15     167719  DISCUSSIONS.EQ.EDU.AU (Linux 2.6.18-404.el5)
 16     167091  LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard x64 Edition)
 17     166821  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.32-504.8.1.el6.x86_64)
 18     163302  LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 19     161354  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)
 20     126478  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Sep 2019)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      300656  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
  2       55449  CAREERCENTERUPDATE@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
  3       54050  AMIS-CNRS-INTERNATIONAL-L@IN2P3.FR (Linux 3.10.0)
  4       43343  SAFETYNOTICE@LISTSERV.UC.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition)
  5       41763  OPSWNEWS@LISTSERV.NYSED.GOV (Linux 4.12.14)
  6       36538  CMU-BASKETBALL@LS2.CMICH.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
  7       34587  TCUATHLETICSDIRECTOR@LISTSERV.TCU.EDU (Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard x64 Edition)
  8       33600  L-SMEAL-REPORT@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
  9       30835  FOCIS_GROUP@LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 10       28918  BEDRIJVENLIJST@LS.KULEUVEN.BE (Linux 2.6.32)
 11       28918  BEDRIJVENLIJST2@LS.KULEUVEN.BE (Linux 2.6.32)
 12       28313  L-THON-NEWS@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 6.1)
 13       27900  HALLCOLIBRARY-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.32)
 14       27709  RECREATION@LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU (Windows Server 2016 Standard x64 Edition)
 15       27399  VOLUPDATE@LISTSERV.UTK.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 16       26419  PARENTS@LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Linux 3.0.101)
 17       25008  2019-STEM-EVENT-L@LISTSERV.OKSTATE.EDU (Windows Server 2012 Datacenter x64 Edition)
 18       24992  NCHPAD-NEWS@LISTSERV.UAB.EDU (Linux 3.10.0)
 19       24766  ISMA@LS.KULEUVEN.BE (Linux 2.6.32)
 20       24480  EXCEL@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU (Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition)