code: private void assertRemotePropertiesServerIsAvailable(final URL configUrl) {
  		new HttpClient().send(
  				"HEAD",
  				configUrl.toExternalForm(),
  				new HashMap<String, String>(),
  				null,
  				new HttpClient.ResponseHandler<Void>() {
  					@Override
  					public Void handleResponse(HttpRequest<?> httpRequest, InputStream is, Integer statusCode, IOException e) throws IOException {
  						if (e != null || statusCode != 200) {
  							throw new IllegalStateException("Remote properties are not available at " +
  									configUrl + ", http status code: " + statusCode, e);
  						}
  						return null;
  					}
  				}
  		);
  	}
docs: Does a simple HEAD request to a configuration endpoint to check if it's reachable. If not an
  IllegalStateException is thrown
  
  @param configUrl Full qualified configuration url