How long is Oracle 9iR2/10g going to be supported? Infinitely!
Metalink updated the upcoming desupport advisory.
For 8iR3, you had something like :
Error Correction Support (ECS): 31-DEC-2004 Extended Support (ES): 31-DEC-2007 Extended Maintenance Support (EMS): 31-DEC-2006
Now for 9iR2, 10gR1, 10gR2, you have this :
Release GA Date Premier Extended Sustaining
Support Support Support
------- -------- -------- -------- ----------
DB 9.2 Jul 2002 Jul 2007 Jul 2010 Indefinite
DB 10.1 Jan 2004 Jan 2009 Jan 2012 Indefinite
DB 10.2 Jul 2005 Jul 2010 Jul 2013 Indefinite
Sustaining support is less than extended support, you do not get upgrade script and compatibility with new products (ex: connection from 9i client to Oracle 14x is not supported). But it let you keep your very old stuff supported by Oracle.
Read more :
Oracle Lifetime Support Policy Datasheet PDF 110K
Oracle Technical Support Policies PDF 258K
Presumably this means that 8i sites have now had their last ever CPU and any exploits not already fixed are going to remain unfixed. That should make the January CPU an interesting read.