I've learned the same lesson, and why things like ping checks aren't enough. Even just a WGET of the front page isn't enough. You need the monitor to login and

I've learned the same lesson, and why things like ping checks aren't enough. Even just a WGET of the front page isn't enough. You need the monitor to login and replicate at least part of the user experience if you have a complex setup. It's very embarrassing when someone tells a user "shows it's up from my side." and they're relying on a naïve monitor.