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# Health checks

> Configure active HTTP, HTTPS, or TCP health checks on an IBEE Solutions load balancer so traffic only reaches healthy backends.

The load balancer actively probes every backend on a fixed interval. A backend that fails enough consecutive probes is removed from rotation; it returns automatically once it passes again. Health checks are configured under **Active health check** in the **Routing and health** section of the create form, and cannot be changed after creation.

## Check types

| Type               | What it verifies                                                               |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `http` *(default)* | The backend returns a successful response for a GET on the configured **Path** |
| `https`            | Same as `http`, over TLS                                                       |
| `tcp`              | A TCP connection can be established on the backend port — no path involved     |

Use `http`/`https` whenever your service exposes a health endpoint — a TCP check only proves the port is open, not that the application can serve requests.

## Settings

| Field                   | Default    | Description                                            |
| ----------------------- | ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Path**                | `/health`  | Request path for `http`/`https` checks                 |
| **Interval**            | `10000` ms | Time between probes                                    |
| **Timeout**             | `2000` ms  | How long a probe waits before counting as a failure    |
| **Healthy threshold**   | `2`        | Consecutive passes before a backend re-enters rotation |
| **Unhealthy threshold** | `3`        | Consecutive failures before a backend is removed       |

With the defaults, a failing backend is removed after roughly 30 seconds (3 failures × 10 s interval) and restored about 20 seconds after it recovers.

## Choosing a health endpoint

* Return `200` only when the service can actually do work (dependencies reachable, not just process-up).
* Keep the endpoint fast and unauthenticated — it's probed every few seconds.
* Don't reuse a heavy endpoint; a dedicated `/health` route avoids cache and auth side effects.

## Related pages

* [Create a load balancer](/docs/network-security/load-balancer/create-a-load-balancer)
* [Algorithms](/docs/network-security/load-balancer/algorithms)