F5-CTS-LTM BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager Practice Question
An administrator needs to monitor the health of a web service that uses an unconventional port and requires a specific string to be returned in the response. Which monitor type should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often try to use TCP monitors for web services, failing to realize that a TCP monitor only checks for an open port and cannot verify the application response.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
An HTTP monitor with the 'Send String' and 'Receive String' configured.
The HTTP monitor is designed for checking web services. By specifying the port and the 'Receive String' field, the administrator can verify that the server is not only listening but also returning the expected content. This is essential for detecting 'grey failure' scenarios where a server responds to a TCP connection but serves an error page or an incomplete application response.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
A standard TCP monitor with the port defined in the monitor configuration.
Why it's wrong here
A TCP monitor only performs a three-way handshake to verify the port is open and accepting connections. It does not send HTTP requests or inspect the payload for specific strings, meaning it would report a node as 'Up' even if the application service itself has crashed or is misconfigured.
- ✓
An HTTP monitor with the 'Send String' and 'Receive String' configured.
Why this is correct
An HTTP monitor allows for custom sends (e.g., 'GET /health') and checks the response body against a 'Receive String'. This validates that the application layer is functioning correctly, which is the most reliable way to monitor the health of a web service beyond simple transport-layer connectivity tests.
- ✗
An ICMP monitor added to the pool member's health monitor list.
Why it's wrong here
An ICMP monitor (ping) only tests network layer connectivity. It cannot verify that a specific application or port is listening on the server. If the web server process fails but the server's OS remains online, the ICMP monitor will incorrectly report the service as healthy.
- ✗
An external monitor script that performs a shell command to check the service.
Why it's wrong here
While an external monitor script is highly flexible and could perform the check, it is an overly complex solution when a built-in HTTP monitor can accomplish the same task. Using native monitors is preferred for maintainability, performance, and stability compared to custom shell scripts executed by the BIG-IP.
Visual reference
About these practice questions
One of 119 original F5-CTS-LTM practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official F5 exam blueprint
This F5-CTS-LTM practice question is part of Courseiva's free F5 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the F5-CTS-LTM exam.