## see my posted text...
 ## if ($current_time > $next_cleanup_due) #only every 5+ minutes
 ## {
 ##    run through all key,values of %time and dump_data()
 ##    for all %time values that have "expired"...
 ##    probably need to add special kind of EOE message
 ## }
 

cleanup() if ($current_time > $next_cleanup_due); 

sub cleanup
{
   $next_cleanup_due += 6*60; # 6 minutes from now

   foreach my $node_audit (keys %time_out)
   {
       if ($current_time > ($time_out{$node_audit} + $time_out))
       {
           push @{$data{$node_audit}}, "type=EXPIRED";
           dump_data ($node_audit);
       }
   }
}