Redirect HTTP to HTTPS in System>Preferences Check box

What does this check box do?

 

I read the "Help" section and have performed a little testing and I'm totally baffled.

 

The help section states the following:

 

"Specifies whether the system directs HTTP requests to the equivalent HTTPS location. For example, when checked (enabled), redirects requests for http://siterequest.domain.com to https://siterequest.domain.com. "

 

If you stop there it seems to make some sense, but if you continue reading, the rest of the help section says:

 

"When cleared (disabled), requests fail if there is no HTTPS equivalent location."

 

That second part totally dismantles what I thought I understood about the first part. Now it seems to be saying, if it's disabled, even if there is an HTTP VIP listening, it's going to drop the request for it if there is no HTTPS equivalent.

 

Ignoring that second part, it seems to imply that this may be associated with VIPS (due to the ex. of http://siterequest.domain.com to https://siterequest.domain.com) so that I don't need an HTTP to HTTPS redirect for each VIP. I tested that by enabling the option and removing a redirect for one of my VIPS. Didn't work.

 

Then I thought it was just a basic preferences setting that maybe isn't associated with VIPS and is instead just for accessing the GUI of the BIG-IP. Making it so you can just type the devices IP without HTTPS:// in front. I also tried that. Didn't work.

 

So now I'm wondering if anyone has any idea what this check box actually does. ...Or what it's supposed to do.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

-Dylan