[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – November 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 (NOV08, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     632599  LISTSERV.FOXNEWS.COM (Windows 2000 Server + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     489232  XB1.BOOKSAMILLION.COM (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.18.el5xen)
  3     429668  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  4     426281  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
  5     387573  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  6     370492  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  7     345307  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  8     230666  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
  9     225538  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 10     220460  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11     217829  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 12     208826  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 13     205788  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 14     189613  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 15     184769  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 16     181605  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 17     180036  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 18     178239  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 19     171767  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 20     171632  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2003)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Nov 2008)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2328043  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)
  2     2198349  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  3     1310149  LISTSERV.ACM.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  4     1277573  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  5     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  6     1159281  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  7      971817  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
  8      962618  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
  9      958114  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
 10      863784  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 11      783796  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 12      759185  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 13      755464  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 14      732195  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15      729317  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.8-smp)
 16      728046  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.1.ELsmp)
 17      711908  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 18      694781  LISTSERV.KSU.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19      675689  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
 20      658710  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Nov 2008)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 20478  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)
  2 19791  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 11141  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  5 10173  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.1.ELsmp)
  6  9160  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  7  7769  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
  8  6965  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  9  6366  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.10.el5)
 10  5544  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 11  5449  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 12  5396  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 13  5394  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 14  5240  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.8-smp)
 15  4929  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
 16  4756  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 17  4707  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 18  4278  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 19  3751  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 20  3346  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (NOV08, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     414357  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
  2     412196  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows 2000 Server)
  3     377036  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  4     366526  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  5     335888  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.4.29)
  6     222053  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
  7     215265  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  8     212979  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
  9     203897  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 10     202042  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 11     188889  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 12     187786  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
 13     184181  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 14     174350  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 15     171589  PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 16     168843  LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 17     166340  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18     159412  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 19     146987  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)
 20     146589  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Nov 2008)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1      127083  COMPUTING@LIST.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.18.8-0.9-default)
  2      122840  POSTMITA@LISTSERV.NIC.IT (Solaris 2.9)
  3       79094  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  4       77692  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       77001  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  6       74038  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  7       67854  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  8       64056  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  9       61090  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 10       52804  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       47015  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-20.ELsmp)
 12       46444  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 13       46143  SURFSPOT@NIC.SURFNET.NL (Windows Enterprise Server 2003 + LSMTP V1.1b)
 14       44085  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 15       42110  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-55.0.2.ELsmp)
 16       39606  PRESIDENT@LISTSERV.UTA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17       36881  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 18       36759  EPLUS@VM1.HQADMIN.DOE.GOV (VM/SP 3.0)
 19       36719  DIVERSITY-NEWS-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 20       35136  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)