Testing For NT And SQL Availability

I want to run remote procs from a local - central proc, but don't want to crash my proc if the remote NT Server or SQL Server is not available.
So, I want to test for NT and SQL availability first.

Here's my code.
====================
DECLARE
@DBName varchar(22),
@QueryString NVARCHAR(130),
@Resultsint,
@ResultsTxtvarchar(31)

/* I find the server-dbasename name in a lookup table, and then build dynamic script */
SELECT @DBName = "<SRVRNAME~DBASENAME>"
SELECT @QueryString = N'master..xp_cmdshell "ECHO >'
+ SUBSTRING(@DBName, 1,6)
+ 'pipesqlquery", no_output'
EXEC @Results = sp_executesql @QueryString

SELECT @Results /* <-- testing here.... */

=====================

If the NT / SQL is running, "@Results" should = 0 (success on the ECHO to the PIPE)
If the NT / SQL is NOT running, "@Results" should = 1 (error on the ECHO to the PIPE)

If I test in QA, I get the expected "@Results" values.

If I run the proc, I get "@Results" = 0 for both events, and them my proc fails on the remote proc call if the NT / SQL is NOT running.

I don't know how to write DMO in TSQL to try that.
I have also tried using 'odbcping' too.

HINTS? Better way to test remote NT / SQL is NOT running?

Thanks in advance.