[LISTSERV - the mailing list management classic]

LISTSERV Top 20 statistics – September 2009


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 (SEP09, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     461956  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     461711  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  3     437228  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  4     412088  XB1.BOOKSAMILLION.COM (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.18.el5xen)
  5     393626  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  6     359029  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-686-bigmem)
  7     287144  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
  8     270629  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  9     268812  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
 10     253340  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11     252588  LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU (Linux (S/390) 2.6.5-7.316-s390x)
 12     244448  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.ELsmp)
 13     244338  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 14     241098  NERDALERT.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5)
 15     231490  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 16     222538  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 17     219137  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 18     214648  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 19     200103  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 20     198930  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)

Top 20 sites by number of subscribers (30 Sep 2009)

Pos Subscribers  Site
--- -----------  ----
  1     2429242  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     2326906  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)
  3     1482639  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  4     1202129  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  5     1124840  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  6     1066220  CUVMC.AIS.COLUMBIA.EDU (VM/SP 1.0)
  7     1014641  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
  8      991444  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.1.ELsmp)
  9      964874  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
 10      907529  LISTS.WAYNE.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 11      906902  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 12      830697  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.ELsmp)
 13      795884  LISTSERV.UH.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-47.0.1.ELsmp)
 14      774474  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15      752213  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.8-smp)
 16      751743  LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-58.EL)
 17      736965  LISTSERV.KSU.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 18      730967  LISTSERV.ND.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.13.ELsmp)
 19      687483  LISTS.ASU.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-40.EL)
 20      644755  LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)

Top 20 sites by number of lists (30 Sep 2009)

Pos Lists  Site
--- -----  ----
  1 28031  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  2 22533  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)
  3 19335  CLEMSON.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
  4 13338  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  5 11054  LISTSERV.TAU.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.1.ELsmp)
  6  8640  LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  7  7586  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  8  7295  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.ELsmp)
  9  6716  LISTSERV.TECHNION.AC.IL (Linux 2.6.18-128.1.10.el5)
 10  6006  MARIST (VM/SP 2.0)
 11  5788  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 12  5408  HERMES.GWU.EDU (Linux 2.6.16.54-0.2.8-smp)
 13  5149  LISTSERV.TAMU.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 14  5141  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15  4966  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 16  4863  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
 17  4441  LISTSERV.MILLERSVILLE.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 18  4393  LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 19  3865  LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK (Solaris 2.9)
 20  3432  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)

Top 20 sites by volume generated daily (SEP09, 1-30)

Pos Recipients  Site
--- ----------  ----
  1     456316  LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
  2     446715  LISTSERV.SYR.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
  3     428526  LISTSERV.UGA.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-78.0.5.ELsmp)
  4     381027  LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG (Windows Server 2003)
  5     348275  H-NET.MSU.EDU (Linux 2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-686-bigmem)
  6     285188  LISTSERV.UIC.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-42.0.2.ELsmp)
  7     268857  LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
  8     263669  LISTS.UFL.EDU (AIX 5.3)
  9     252055  LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU (Linux (S/390) 2.6.5-7.316-s390x)
 10     248255  LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 11     242049  LSV.UKY.EDU (Windows Server 2003)
 12     241100  NERDALERT.THENERDS.NET (Linux 2.6.18-92.1.22.el5)
 13     240605  LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.ELsmp)
 14     231955  LISTS.UMN.EDU (Solaris 2.10)
 15     211520  HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003)
 16     200628  BAMA.UA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 17     196040  LISTSERV.UMD.EDU (SunOS 5.9)
 18     195219  LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 19     190390  APPLE.EASE.LSOFT.COM (Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 Edition)
 20     185002  LISTES.ULAVAL.CA (Linux 2.4.21-57.ELsmp)

Top 20 lists by number of subscribers (30 Sep 2009)

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       89347  ALUMNI@LISTSERV.CC.KULEUVEN.AC.BE (Linux 2.6.22.18-grsec2.1.11-vs2.2.0.6)
  4       84502  EDUCATION_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  5       77302  RFP-BULLETIN@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  6       74042  E-ARTACADEMY@LISTSERV.DFN.DE (Solaris 2.9)
  7       71929  ARTS_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  8       65541  HEALTH_FUNDING@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
  9       64650  PND-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 10       52804  FDNCENTER-L@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 11       45043  JOB-ALERT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 12       44584  TEMPLETODAY@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Linux 2.4.21-58.EL)
 13       44288  L-LAZINE@LISTS.PSU.EDU (AIX 5.2)
 14       42109  VTNETLETTER@LISTSERV.VT.EDU (Linux 2.6.9-89.ELsmp)
 15       36845  STUDENT-AT-TENNESSEE@LISTSERV.UTK.EDU (Solaris 2.9)
 16       36809  EVENTS-NEWSLETTER-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 17       36641  DIVERSITY-NEWS-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU (Windows Server 2003 R2)
 18       36612  CONNECT@LISTS.FDNCENTER.ORG (Solaris 2.10)
 19       35950  SAFETYNOTICE@LISTSERV.UC.EDU (Windows Enterprise Server 2003)
 20       35516  EPLUS@VM1.HQADMIN.DOE.GOV (VM/SP 3.0)