Concur with Sem (as usual!):
The LINK is permanent, just like a procedure or a table. The only way to get rid of it is to drop it.
However, the CONNECTION is NOT permanent! Consider this scenario - if the remote server goes down, is your connection still intact? (Hint: no). Is your database link still defined? Yes. So this would disprove the original assertion.
Here is what Oracle documentation says:
When a global object name is referenced in a SQL statement or remote procedure call, database links establish a connection to a session in the remote database on behalf of the local user. The remote connection and session are only created if the connection has not already been established previously for the local user session.
The connections and sessions established to remote databases persist for the duration of the local user's session, unless the application or user explicitly terminates them. Note that when you issue a SELECT statement across a database link, a transaction lock is placed on the rollback segments. To re-release the segment, you must issue a COMMIT or ROLLBACK statement.
Terminating remote connections established using database links is useful for disconnecting high cost connections that are no longer required by the application. You can terminate a remote connection and session using the ALTER SESSION statement with the CLOSE DATABASE LINK clause. For example, assume you issue the following transactions:
SELECT * FROM emp@sales;
COMMIT;
The following statement terminates the session in the remote database pointed to by the sales database link:
ALTER SESSION CLOSE DATABASE LINK sales;
To close a database link connection in your user session, you must have the ALTER SESSION system privilege.
