How to test database connectivity in python?
===

I am accessing a MySQL database from python via MySQLdb library. I am attempting to test the database connection as shown below. 

            db = MySQLdb.connect(self.server, self.user, 
                                 self.passwd, self.schema)
            cursor = db.cursor()        
            try:
                cursor.execute("SELECT VERSION()")
                results = cursor.fetchone()
                ver = results[0]
                if(ver is None):
                    return False
                else:
                    return True
                
            except:
                print "ERROR IN CONNECTION"
                return False
          
Is this the right way one should test the connectivity when writing unit testcases? If there is a better way, please enlighten!
