[script1.pl-> Makes ItemData from some fields and puts it as rawdata in a database ] ---> DBI ---> <--- DBI <--- [script2.pl-> reads ItemData from a database sends this data over a socket which is connected with script2 script1.pl knows nothing about the structure of ItemData and also doesn want to know. ] --> TCP/IP ---> <-- TCP/IP <--- [script3.pl recives ItemData and knows how ItemData is formed script3.pl will get all the fields in ItemData and will use this to talk to hardware with it .. (for example a FAX modem or an SMS machine or whatever .. not importand yet) ]