@services = ( { serviceid => '1', name => 'servicea', host => [ qw( hosta hostb ) ] }, { serviceid => '2', name => 'serviceb', host => [ qw( hostc ) ] }, ); #### foreach my $svc ( @services ) { # list of hosts: @{ $svc->{host} } # name: $svc->{name} } #### %services = ( 'servicea' => { serviceid => '1', host => [ qw( hosta hostb ) ] }, 'serviceb' => { serviceid => '2', host => [ qw( hostc ) ] }, );