sub db_connect {
	my $self = shift;

	my $errStr;
	my $testStr;
	my $dbh;
	eval {
		local $SIG{ALRM} = sub { die "timeout\n" }; # NB: \n required
		alarm 10;
		$dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:".$self->{DB_NAME}.":".$self->{DB_HOSTNAME}.":".$self->{DB_PORT}, $self->{DB_USERNAME}, $self->{DB_PASSWORD}, { PrintError => 0 });
		if (defined($dbh)) {
			$testStr = "[Database handle SET]";
		}
		else {
			$errStr = "Unable to connect to database: ".$DBI::errstr;
			$testStr = "[Database handle NOT SET]";
		}
		alarm 0;
	};
	if ($@ eq "timeout\n") {
		# Timeout
		$errStr = "Connection to database timed out";
	}
	elsif ($@) {
		# Unknown error
		$errStr = "Unknown error: ".$@;
	}

	my $result = defined($dbh);
	if (!$result) {
		$errStr .= " [dbh DEFINED]".$testStr;
	}
	else {
		$errStr .= " [dbh UNDEFINED]".$testStr;
		$self->log_comment("ERROR: db_connect => ".$errStr);
	}
	return $result;
}