Workaround to validate an AGS connection file

check_ags_connection.py

import arcpy
import os

outdir = r'C:\TEMP'
out_folder_path = outdir
out_name = 'test_connection.ags'
server_url = 'http://localhost:6080/arcgis/admin'

username = 'admin'
password = 'admin'

agsFile = os.path.join(outdir, out_name)

if os.path.exists(agsFile):
    os.remove(agsFile)
    
arcpy.mapping.CreateGISServerConnectionFile("ADMINISTER_GIS_SERVICES",
                                            out_folder_path,
                                            out_name,
                                            server_url,
                                            "ARCGIS_SERVER",
                                            True,
                                            "#",
                                            username,
                                            password,
                                            "SAVE_USERNAME")

try:
    folders = arcpy.ListDataStoreItems(agsFile, "FOLDER")
    print folders
except:
    # Handle bad connection file
    print "The connection failed"
    

print "\ndone"