Problem description:
when using "-e" command (see example below) to check if file exists, in some cases getting incorrect answer.
While the file actually exists, the "-e" indicates that the file doesn't exists.

Environment:
The file is located in mounted area in NetApp server.
Perl version 5.10.1.

# Scenario 1, example of the problem: 
my $is_file_exists = 1;
my $db_path = $ST_DB_PATH.$db_name;
unless (-e $db_path) {
    print "The file doesn't exist\n";
    $is_file_exists = 0;
}
[download]

In some cases, the result of Scenario 1 is $is_file_exists=0
while the actually file exists.

# Scenario 2, example of workaround that solves the problem: 
my $is_file_exists = 1;
my $db_path = $ST_DB_PATH.$db_name;

# Adding cat command to solve the "-e" problem
`cat $db_path > /dev/null`;

unless (-e $db_path) {
    print "The file doesn't exist\n";
    $is_file_exists = 0;
}
[download]

Workaround description:
Before using "-e" command, using system command: "cat <file>".
When calling "-e" command after "cat" the "-e" works as expected.

I use the "cat" as a workaround, I can't use it in the entire code.
Does someone faced such a problem and found solution?
Do you think this problem is related to the Perl or to the native platform or to the NetApp environment?