code: def ping(self):
          
          msg_code = riak.pb.messages.MSG_CODE_PING_REQ
          codec = self._get_codec(msg_code)
          msg = codec.encode_ping()
          resp_code, _ = self._request(msg, codec)
          if resp_code == riak.pb.messages.MSG_CODE_PING_RESP:
              return True
          else:
              return False
docs: Ping the remote server