Testing an Entity Framework database connection

Question

Are you just wanting to see if the DB connection is valid? If so take a look at the

using (DatabaseContext dbContext = new DatabaseContext())
{
     dbContext.Database.Exists();
}

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg696617(v=vs.103).aspx

and for checking if a server machine is up, DB server or web services server , try this:

public PingReply Send( string hostNameOrAddress )

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/7hzczzed.aspx

The solution as @Danilo Breda pointed out is to call the DbContext.Database.Connection.Open()

It is tested with EF6.

My implementaion:

    public static bool CheckConnection()
    {
        try
        {
            MyContext.Database.Connection.Open();
            MyContext.Database.Connection.Close();
        }
        catch(SqlException)
        {
            return false;
        }
        return true;
    }

In EntityFramework Core you can simply call: Database.CanConnect();.

(using EF Core 2.2.1)

Summary: Determines whether or not the database is available and can be connected to.

Note that being able to connect to the database does not mean that it is up-to-date with regard to schema creation, etc.

I use this code for my project:

private bool TestConnectionEF()
        {
            using (var db = new SistemaContext())
            {
                try
                {
                    db.Database.Connection.Open();
                    if (db.Database.Connection.State == ConnectionState.Open)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(@"INFO: ConnectionString: " + db.Database.Connection.ConnectionString 
                            + "\n DataBase: " + db.Database.Connection.Database 
                            + "\n DataSource: " + db.Database.Connection.DataSource 
                            + "\n ServerVersion: " + db.Database.Connection.ServerVersion 
                            + "\n TimeOut: " + db.Database.Connection.ConnectionTimeout);
                        db.Database.Connection.Close();
                        return true;
                    }
                    return false;
                }
                catch(Exception ex)
                {
                    throw ex;
                }
            }
        }

I used the answer from @Sandor and did an extension method to use with EntityFramework Core.

Here's the code:

using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
using System.Data.Common;

namespace TerminalInventory
{
    public static class ExtensionMethods
    {
        public static bool TestConnection(this DbContext context)
        {
            DbConnection conn = context.Database.GetDbConnection();

            try
            {
                conn.Open();   // Check the database connection

                return true;
            }
            catch
            {
                return false;
            }
        }
    }
}

Now you just have to call:

if (!context.TestConnection())
{
    logger.LogInformation("No database connection. Check the connection string in settings.json. {0}", configuration["connectionString"]);

    return;
}

I know this is an old question, but here is my answer for anyone looking for a newer implementation.

I was able to use CanConnect to check the status of the database:

_database.Database.CanConnect();

# Async too
await _database.Database.CanConnectAsync(_cancellationTokenSource.Token);

I hope this helps others as well. Cheers!