NAME
    Data::Collector - Collect information from multiple sources - like
    Puppet's Facter

VERSION
    Version 0.01

SYNOPSIS
    This module collects various information from multiple sources and makes
    it available in different formats.

    The main purpose is to facilitate an information gatherning subsystem,
    much like Puppet's Facter, to be used in system monitoring and
    administration.

    However, Data::Collector is much more dynamic. It supports any number of
    engines and formats. Thus, it can be used for push or pull situations,
    can work with monitoring systems, integrate with testing suites and
    otherwise a pretty wide variety of situations.

        use Data::Collector;

        my $collector = Data::Collector->new(
            engine      => 'OpenSSH', # default
            engine_args => { password => read_password('Pass: ') },
            format      => 'JSON', # default
        );

        my %data = $collector->collect;
        ...

ATTRIBUTES
  engine(Str)
    The engine that will be used to collect the information. This is the
    underlying layer that will gather the information. The default is
    OpenSSH, you can use any other one you want and even create your own.

    By implementing your own, you can have fetching done via database
    queries, online searching, local system commands or even telnet, if
    that's what you're using.

  engine_args(HashRef)
    Any arguments that the engine might need. These are passed to the
    engine's *new* method. Other than making sure it's a hash reference, the
    value is not checked and is left for the engine's discression.

    Data::Collector::Engine::OpenSSH requires a *host*, and allows a *user*
    and *passwd*.

  format(Str)
    This is the format in which you want the information. This will most
    likely refer to the serializer you want, but it doesn't have to be. For
    example, you could implement your own *Serializer* which will actually
    be a module to push all the changes you want in a database you have.

    The default is JSON.

  format_args(HashRef)
    Much like *engine_args*, you can supply any additional arguments that
    will reach the serializer's *new* method.

  data(HashRef)
    While (and post) collecting, this attribute contains all the information
    [being] gathered. It is this data that is sent to the serializer in
    order to do whatever it wants with it.

  engine_object(Object)
    This attributes holds the engine object. This should probably be left
    for either testing or advanced usage. Please refrain from playing with
    it if you're unsure how it works.

  collected(Bool)
    This is boolean attribute to indicate whether or not a collection has
    taken place.

    When running a collection twice, you will without a doubt trigger the
    registry safe mechanism by trying to register every Info module again.
    In order to provide a proper error msg indicting this, the "collected"
    attribute is marked after a collection.

    If you clean the registry properly (using Data::Collector::Info's
    "clear_registry"), it will also clean up this boolean.

SUBROUTINES/METHODS
  collect
    The main function of Data::Collector. It runs all the information
    collecting modules. When it is done, it runs the *serialize* method in
    order to serialize the information fetched.

  serialize
    Loads the serializer (according to the *format* selected) and asks it to
    serialize the data it collected.

    This method can be run manually as well, but it is automatically run
    when you run *collect*.

  clear_registry
    Clears the information registry. The registry keeps all the keys of
    different information modules. The registry makes sure information
    modules don't step on each other.

    However, this can prevent you from running collect more than once since
    it will try to reregister all the information modules.

    This method clears the registry and clears out the "collected" boolean,
    allowing you to run *collect* again.

AUTHOR
    Sawyer X, "<xsawyerx at cpan.org>"

BUGS
    Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-data-collector at
    rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
    <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Data-Collector>. I will
    be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on
    your bug as I make changes.

SUPPORT
    You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

        perldoc Data::Collector

    You can also look for information at:

    *   RT: CPAN's request tracker

        <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Data-Collector>

    *   AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation

        <http://annocpan.org/dist/Data-Collector>

    *   CPAN Ratings

        <http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Data-Collector>

    *   Search CPAN

        <http://search.cpan.org/dist/Data-Collector/>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT
    Copyright 2010 Sawyer X.

    This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
    under the terms of either: the GNU General Public License as published
    by the Free Software Foundation; or the Artistic License.

    See http://dev.perl.org/licenses/ for more information.