Quick note:

# connect
my $dbh = DBI->connect_cached(...)

# then add
sub DESTROY {
  if (defined $dbh) {
    $dbh->disconnect();
  }
}
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This works for me and lets me forget about the disconnect.

The connect_cached only reconnects if cached connection doesn't exist. So you can safely put a connect_cached before a query if you're unsure whether you're connected without the performance hit of connecting/disconnecting all the time. docs here

Putting the disconnect in the DESTROY sub cleanly disconnects when the script exits - assuming, of course, that it will still be in scope :)

AFAIK! No-one has told me otherwise, anyway :)

.02

cLive ;-)