Add a TCP connectivity test tool to IBM TS7700 VTS

We request the addition of a generic TCP connectivity test function to the IBM TS7700 Virtual Tape System management interface.
 

The TS7700 VTS may need to communicate with external network services, including remote Syslog or rsyslog servers and other external management or infrastructure services. However, administrators currently do not have a simple native option to verify whether the VTS can reach a specific destination IP address or FQDN on a specified TCP port.

We would like IBM to provide a diagnostic function equivalent to:

telnet <destination> <port>

or:

nc -vz <destination> <port>
 

The requested function does not need to provide an interactive Telnet client. It should only attempt to establish an outbound TCP connection from the relevant VTS management environment to the specified destination and port.
 

The administrator should be able to enter:
 

- Destination IP address or FQDN
- Destination TCP port
- Source node, cluster, interface or management component, when applicable
 

Example:

Remote rsyslog server:

rsyslog.example.com:<configured TCP port>
 

The test should display a clear result, such as:
 

- Connection successful
- Connection timed out
- Connection refused
- DNS resolution failed
- No route to host
- Destination unreachable

 

The function could be provided in the TS7700 Management Interface as a network diagnostic tool, through a restricted service command, or through both interfaces.