Python TCP port check

conn_test.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

import socket                   # socket module
import sys                      # exit method(s)


def check_server(address, port):
    # Create TCP Socket
    s = socket.socket()
    print "Attempting to connect to {0} on port {1}.".format(address, port)
    try:
        s.connect((address, port))
        print "Connected to {0} on port {1}.".format(address, port)
        return True
    except socket.error, e:
        print "Connection to {0} on port {1} failed: {2}".format(address, port, e)
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    from optparse import OptionParser       # Maximum compatibility 2.6.x, deprecated 2.7+
    parser = OptionParser()

    parser.add_option("-a", "--address", dest="address", default='localhost', help="Address of server", metavar="ADDRESS")
    parser.add_option("-p", "--port", dest="port", default="80", type="int", help="Port to test", metavar="PORT")
    (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
    check = check_server(options.address, options.port)

    sys.exit(not check)             # Standard return 0 requires inversion of True/False values