knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ perl -Mstrict -wE ' > open my $inFH, q{<}, \ < hostname1.com > > Gateway FAIL > > Gateway FAIL > > Gateway FAIL > > hostname2.com > > Gateway FAIL > > Gateway FAIL > > Gateway FAIL > > EOD > > print join qq{\n}, do { > my %seen; > grep { > %seen = () if m{^hostname}; > ! m{^\s*$} && ! $seen{ $_ } ++; > } > <$inFH>; > }, q{};' hostname1.com Gateway FAIL hostname2.com Gateway FAIL knoppix@Microknoppix:~$