I would concur with other replies in that MySQL will probably be the best choice for anything other than simple data requirements.

However, I would differ in my estimation of how much more difficult it will be than working with DBM. Once you get going, it's really not that hard at all.

My recommendation would be to find someone who has worked with Perl and MySQL before (there are loads of them out there -- check a local Perl Mongers group if you don't have a friend or friend of a friend who can help or send me an e-mail if you are really stuck), have them help you set up a database, and run a sample query.

It would take about an hour to step through it all from downloading MySQL to getting the results of your first sample query. And using MySQL will give you more real-world practical experience that you can apply later to more complex problems.

Hope this helps :-)