[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – February 2007


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 (FEB07, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     565124  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     412343  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.3.ELsmp)
  3     393881  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  4     392204  MAILER.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     374066  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  6     371092  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server)
  7     361075  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  8     337901  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  9     330575  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 10     328730  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 11     285742  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 12     284555  MAILSENDER2.ZOOMERANG.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     273108  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     251455  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 15     250057  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 16     237576  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8)
 17     226695  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 18     223646  EMA3LSV01.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     209602  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 20     209521  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     4234220  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2243340  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  3     2041944  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.ELsmp)
  4     1560331  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  5     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  6     1008019  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  7      945408  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.3.ELsmp)
  8      915643  LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9      864021  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 3.0)
 10      814328  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11      767981  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.17.13-grsec2.1.9-vs2.0.2.1)
 12      763758  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 13      747892  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 14      731437  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15      715015  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 16      714494  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 17      712631  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18      700496  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 19      687969  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 20      683212  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (28 Feb 2007)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 56297  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2 24720  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3 19436  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.ELsmp)
  4 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  5 10113  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
  6  9802  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  7  9609  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.17.13-grsec2.1.9-vs2.0.2.1)
  8  6540  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
  9  6196  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 10  5873  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 11  5236  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 12  5205  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13  5016  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 14  4744  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.3.ELsmp)
 15  4552  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 16  4548  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17  4084  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18  4080  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 19  4022  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20  3171  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (FEB07, 1-28)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     568739  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     471765  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     400775  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.3.ELsmp)
  4     388713  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  5     345405  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  6     331158  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  7     329225  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  8     328804  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows 2000 Server)
  9     325235  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 10     270049  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     263771  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 12     254435  DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 13     243609  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 14     231675  LISTSERV.REDIRIS.ES (Solaris 2.8)
 15     211606  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 16     204667  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 17     200987  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 18     193959  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19     189849  LIST.SENIORWEB.NL (Windows Server 2003)
 20     188266  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (28 Feb 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      378232  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      140081  SOCIALSECURITY_W2NEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3      122840  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  4      110361  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.11.4-21.14-smp)
  5       81528  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  6       79705  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
  7       69752  L-ADMISSIONS-WIRE-A@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  8       69024  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  9       68972  ARTINFO-L@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
 10       67052  FEDINFO@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11       65144  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 12       63127  CARE2@MILEPOST1.COM (Linux 2.4.20-31.9smp)
 13       56895  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 14       55642  MEDPROS-L@DTIC.MIL (Solaris 2.9)
 15       52810  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 16       50388  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 17       49286  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.17.13-grsec2.1.9-vs2.0.2.1)
 18       47636  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 19       44402  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.9)
 20       43626  L-SMEALZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)