Mongodb check if connection is ok via Laravel/PHP - php

Question

I'm using laravel 5.2 and MongoDB 3.2.
I want to test if connection with is ok before my app starts (i can't use DB facade), in the monolog configuration. If connection is not ok, i will use logging in file.
By recommendation, i'm testing MongoClient, Mongo and MongoDB\Client, and using whatever is enabled.
I'm trying to test mongo connect as the following:
$mongoClient = new \MongoDB\Client('mongodb://localhost:27017');
$mongoClient->selectCollection('mydb', 'mycollection');
That's the return:
Client {
+manager: Manager {#21}
+uri: "mongodb://localhost:27017"
+typeMap: [
array => "MongoDB\Model\BSONArray",
document => "MongoDB\Model\BSONDocument",
root => "MongoDB\Model\BSONDocument"
]
}
Finnaly, my questions:
Exists a way to use DB facade before app starts?
How and what is the right way to test MongoDB connection with PHP?
If you has another suggestion, i will be thankful.

Answer 1

According to PHP document, the driver connects to the database lazily (http://php.net/manual/en/mongodb-driver-manager.getservers.php), the only way to test connection should be actually execute commands like findOne() stated in yours comment.
In addition, if the name of DB or Collection is uncertain at the point, you can use listDatabases() method which also throws exceptions if connection fails.

Answer 2

using this way you can check MongoDB connection with PHP:
$connection = new MongoClient(); // connects to localhost:27017
$connection = new MongoClient( "mongodb://example.com" ); // connect to a remote host (default port: 27017)
$connection = new MongoClient( "mongodb://example.com:65432" ); // connect to a remote host at a given port