hello, if the code runs fine the problem must not be Perl..
check for reachbility of port 1433 of the destination server from your virtual machine. If the virtual machine is configured with a different public IP address, then you need to allow it in the remote server.
In brief: troubleshut your connectivity.
L*
There are no rules, there are no thumbs..
Reinvent the wheel, then learn The Wheel; may be one day you reinvent one of THE WHEELS.