my $bbhost = $ENV{BBHOST};
my  $machine = `hostname`;
chomp($machine);
if ( -f $bbhost/etc/bbaliasname ) {
    # fetch aliasname and assign it to machine.
}
# $test would be the name of the test as BB displays it.
my $test = "app";
# green, yellow and red are alert levels.
my $color = 'green';
#
# run test here, reset color if necessary
#

my $conn = new IO::Socket::INET (
    PeerAddr => 'my_bb_server.domain.biz',
    PeerPort => '1984',
    Proto => 'tcp',
    ) || warn("Cannot create socket to port 1984 on localhost\n");
my $date = `date`;
print $conn "status $machine.$test $color $date ";
print $conn "test blah blah blah.\n";
print $conn "moretestinfo";
close($conn);