How to ping?

[Ben Rubinstein]

Actually I don't even want to ping as such, just establish whether a network
device is up and running.  We're having problems with a router that keeps
rebooting; and as a first step would like to monitor it so that we can track
how often and when this is happening: in order to establish how serious the
problem is, so we can see if there is a pattern that might give us a clue as
to the source of the problem, and to give us a baseline so that if we're
reduced to trial and error, we can see whether we're making matters better
or worse.

So, two alternative questions:
    - how could I (can I?) code a 'ping' function in Rev?
    - what is the lowest impact method that I could use, in Revolution, to
probe a network device?

Ideally I'd set up a stack on a spare machine to be probing every 60 seconds
or so (it takes just under two minutes for the router to reboot, and I don't
know at what point in the process it becomes visible on the network, so any
longer than this might actually miss a rebooting incident); so I don't want
to use massive resources to do it.

Any help, suggestions, code fragments etc gratefully received,

TIA,
 
  Ben Rubinstein               |  Email: benr_mc at cogapp.com
  Cognitive Applications Ltd   |  Phone: +44 (0)1273-821600
  http://www.cogapp.com        |  Fax  : +44 (0)1273-728866