If your version of perl is 32 bit, you will typically run into perl's problems around 2G bytes of total program memory usage. If this is too small you could try to build a 64 bit version of perl. I have not had success with 64 bit perl, but it has been a while since I tried it.

Usually an operating system feature limits a perl program's memory usage, not perl's limits. Sometimes the operating system can be reconfigured to increase the maximum memory limit.

It should work perfectly the first time! - toma