Catch when db is unavailable

[MrGTI]

How do you handle a DataSet not being returned from the database if the server is off or unavailable?

For instance, you have some code that requests a DataSet from SS2K like so:

Dim dsUSA As DataSet = MakeConnection("sql statement", "jimmy")
Dim iRecCount As Integer = dsUSA.Tables(DS_ENTRY).Rows.Count
 
Public Function MakeConnection(ByVal sSQL As String, ByVal sTempDataSetName As String) As DataSet
        Dim DS As DataSet = New DataSet
        Try
            'Creates connection to database and gets a dataset of values
            Dim Conn As SqlConnection = New SqlConnection(SS2K)
            Dim Cmd As SqlDataAdapter = New SqlDataAdapter(sSQL, Conn)
            'Sends back a dataset object full of data from the SQL statement
            Cmd.Fill(DS, sTempDataSetName)
        Catch Exp As Exception
            '
 
        End Try
        Return DS
End Function

How do you guys catch a situation where the db is not available? Right now, this code will error out on the row count line saying "Object reference not set to an instance of an object".