Can you help me understand?

If your "problem doesn't make sense in perl" why ask here?

OTOH, if you want to write code (ignoring -- for the moment -- the word "prototype" whose meaning in this context is unclear) to obtain the info you enumerated using Perl, that's not terribly complicated, nor a project which requires you to re-invent the wheel.

But, if you mean Perl is ill-suited for your ultimate project -- working code to "do something" -- and that "prototype" means something like 'automate the collection of config info' as an integral part of the ultimate project, perhaps you should pick and language you feel is well-suited, and pursue answers from those who know that language.

And if I'm being dense; well, I'm sorry about that, but please spell out just what help you hope the [Perl]Monks will provide.