[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – August 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 (AUG07, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     566444  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     538052  EMA3LSV01.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  3     401801  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  4     373461  MAILSENDER2.ZOOMERANG.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5     356955  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  6     327322  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
  7     293536  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  8     289690  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  9     284537  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 10     281506  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 11     271336  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
 12     269701  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 13     223923  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14     207327  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 15     203548  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 16     198542  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 17     197239  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 18     193233  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 19     164914  LIST.SENIORWEB.NL (Windows Server 2003)
 20     163580  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2940556  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
  2     2550388  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  3     1962776  LISTSERV.CMICH.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     1866217  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  5     1862809  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  6     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  7     1069672  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  8      933465  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  9      840268  LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10      835675  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
 11      832858  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 12      805754  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
 13      801170  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp)
 14      795418  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 15      780787  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 16      761673  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17      747908  GUAVA.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 18      731437  PUBLISHER.SSRN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19      714494  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows 2000 Advanced Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
 20      688906  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (31 Aug 2007)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 40507  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Solaris 2.8)
  2 23464  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 18305  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5 11454  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
  6 10378  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.10.ELsmp)
  7  9727  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
  8  7908  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  9  7708  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 10  6319  TECHUNIX.TECHNION.AC.IL (Solaris 2.9)
 11  6045  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 12  5414  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 13  5266  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 14  5217  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 15  4754  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 16  4724  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Solaris 2.7)
 17  4659  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 18  4113  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19  4081  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20  3962  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (AUG07, 1-31)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     388624  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  2     342120  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  3     296562  EMA3LSV01.CNN.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     288482  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
  5     287941  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  6     285473  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  7     280209  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  8     277732  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  9     273289  LS.TIMEINC.NET (Solaris 2.8)
 10     267938  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 11     220465  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 12     207327  LISTS.CAMPMOR.COM (Windows NT 4.0 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 13     189911  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 14     187288  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 15     179514  LISTSERV.ACOR.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
 16     175447  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 17     165126  LIST.SENIORWEB.NL (Windows Server 2003)
 18     163995  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19     160502  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 20     149973  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (31 Aug 2007)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      284224  SSA_ENEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2      122840  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  3      121886  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18.8-0.3-default)
  4      117963  SOCIALSECURITY_W2NEWS@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  5       85404  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
  6       79454  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  7       74040  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  8       73909  ARTINFO-L@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  9       67081  FEDINFO@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 10       65421  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       64712  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 12       56677  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.19.7-grsec2.1.10-vs2.2.0)
 13       53993  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 14       52806  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 15       49004  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 16       46680  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 17       45075  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 18       42698  SURFSPOT@NIC.SURFNET.NL (Windows Enterprise Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 19       41627  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 20       37031  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)