# skip old entries:
while (<LOG>) {
    if (/^\s*([\d\/\-]+\s+[\d\.\:]+)\s+/) {
       next if ( (time() - str2time($1)) > $serverRef->{ScanErrlogLastDays}*24*3600 );
       $ref->{start_check_datetime} = $1;
       last;
    }
}
# scan the entries:
while (<LOG>) {
…