EnterraHost
Does it answer
The HTTP status the server returned, and the address family it used. A response of any kind proves the web server is alive, which is a stronger claim than a ping.
One request answers the questions that usually take three tools. Does it answer, what certificate does it present, when does that certificate expire, and how long did the reply take.
What comes back
The HTTP status the server returned, and the address family it used. A response of any kind proves the web server is alive, which is a stronger claim than a ping.
Total time for the request, with the TLS handshake broken out separately. A slow handshake and a slow application are different problems with different fixes.
The TLS version, who issued the certificate and how many days are left on it. An expired certificate turns a working site into a browser warning.
IPv4 and IPv6 are tested separately. One can work while the other fails, and the failing one is only visible to the visitors unlucky enough to be on it.
Two traps
If the site sits behind a CDN, the request never reaches your server. Every number here describes the edge nearest the region you chose. Your origin can be down and this check will still look healthy if the edge has a cached copy.
A request refused by a firewall can come back as a 403 or a 429 rather than as a connection error, and a network that drops the packets silently can look like a dead server. Read the status code before assuming the machine is down.
Next
A clean result here means the server answered quickly and the certificate is sound. If visitors still wait, the delay is either distance or the page itself.