Most Oracle product lines are under the Software Technical Support Policies where clients need to be properly licensed to be fully covered. Technical support is mainly provided for issues that are demonstrable in the supported releases, running unaltered, on a certified hardware, database and operating configuration.
Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) continues to be covered under the Software Technical Support Policies, which require customers to maintain proper licensing. As of 2024, Oracle remains committed to delivering comprehensive support options that ensure businesses using EBS can operate smoothly. Oracle has extended its support roadmap for EBS through 2035 and beyond, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Oracle EBS.
Key Takeaways
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Oracle Support Levels, Explained
Support fees for Oracle EBS are charged on an annual basis and vary based on the level of support and the volume of licenses. Oracle continues to offer three levels of support: Premier Support, Extended Support, and Sustaining Support.
- Premier Support remains the most comprehensive level, offering continuous software updates, security patches, and full support for customers.
- Extended Support is available after Premier Support expires, generally for an additional 3 years, though it requires additional fees and comes with certain limitations.
- Sustaining Support is an option for customers who choose not to upgrade, but it offers only limited services and lacks critical updates and security fixes.
Oracle has also maintained pricing transparency through its policies, continuing the practice of providing predictable support fees for customers over the long term. The prices for support may adjust depending on factors such as the scope of the services or hardware configurations. Premier Support has been extended through 2035 for Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) 12.2, ensuring long-term stability for businesses using this version.
Premier Support (2036 Extension): The Gold Standard
This is the full-service tier. You get:
- Updates, security patches, new certifications, and regulatory compliance
- Access to Oracle’s support systems plus new feature releases
And as of March 2025, it’s guaranteed through at least 2036.
Premier Support is the most comprehensive form of support that protects your Oracle EBS with essential software updates, new releases, proactive support tools, 24/7 services to help mitigate risks, reduce costs, and gain competitive advantage. This in conjunction with the ongoing delivery of fixes, updates, and security patches.
As of 2025, Oracle Premier Support still provides:
- Continuous innovation through major and minor updates.
- Critical patch updates and security alerts.
- New certifications for third-party products.
- Regulatory updates (tax, legal, etc.).
- 24/7 support and access to Oracle’s customer support systems.
Oracle has integrated more cloud-native tools into its Premier Support package. This includes expanded support for hybrid cloud environments, where businesses might be running part of their infrastructure on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) while maintaining EBS on-premises. There’s also a greater focus on cybersecurity at all levels of Oracle’s tech stack, driven by increasing threats in 2024 and 2025.
Extended Support: Your Short-Term Bridge
Extended Support is available for Oracle EBS 12.1.3, helping customers who haven’t yet upgraded to 12.2. Oracle strongly recommends upgrading to 12.2 due to the Continuous Innovation model, which offers regular updates without forcing major upgrades.
It offers some updates but lacks third-party certifications and broader coverage. Oracle encourages a move to 12.2 to continue benefiting from continuous innovation.
Extended Support remains available for three years after Premier Support expiration, although some key services such as third-party certifications and certain updates (especially related to cybersecurity) are not covered. In 2025, Oracle emphasizes the importance of upgrading to supported versions, particularly with growing regulatory requirements and system vulnerabilities that older versions may not be able to handle.
Sustaining Support: The Bare Minimum
If you’re on Sustaining Support, you won’t receive new patches, certifications, or regulatory updates. It’s basically a survival mode for your system. Best for non-critical environments only.
Oracle continues to offer Sustaining Support, but 2025 comes with the same set of limitations, including the lack of:
- New updates, fixes, security alerts and critical patch updates.
- Certifications for third-party products or new regulatory updates.
- New tax, legal, and regulatory updates.
- New upgrade scripts.
- Critical fixes and workarounds for new product issues resulting in Severity 1 and 2 Service Requests
This support is generally not recommended for businesses that need to maintain competitive and secure systems.
Additional EBS Support Services for Purchase
Market Driven Support: A Temporary Patch
Market Driven Support is Oracle’s offering delivered by Oracle Customer Success Services (CSS) which has been extended to cover Oracle 12.1.3, providing some essential updates and support for businesses that are still transitioning to 12.2. However, it comes with significant limitations, such as a lack of middleware integrations and certain architectural changes.
In short, MDS is a stopgap for those still on EBS 12.1.3. It offers limited critical fixes, severity-based security patches, and some regulatory updates, but it’s expensive, partial, and not a long-term solution.
Keep in mind that Market Driven Support only mitigates specific support gaps but it’s inherently insufficient and can expose your instance to added costs and security vulnerabilities..
These are the limitations, restrictions, and exclusions of Market Driven Support:
- No Platinum services
- No access to limitless tax, legal, and regulatory updates
- No middleware and integrations
- No access to third party product certifications
- No architectural changes
- EBS product exclusions
- Payroll country limitations
So, What’s New in 2025?
- Premier Support just got extended to 2036, that’s one more year than previously announced! Oracle confirmed in March 2025 that EBS 12.2 will keep getting full support through at least 2036. This means continued patches, certifications, regulatory updates, and cloud integration assurances.
- EBS is part of the Applications Unlimited + Continuous Innovation program. Oracle keeps rolling out new features, cloud-native enhancements, and stack updates, without forcing you into onerous upgrades.
Why It Matters in 2025
- Continuity Without Disruption: With Premier Support extended through 2036, you’ve got time to plan upgrades, or even stay on-prem comfortably with modern features and compliance.
- Avoid Support Gaps: Falling back to Extended or Sustaining Support can expose you to risk. MDS isn’t a safe bet, it can cost anywhere from $25K to $225K per year, and still leaves coverage holes.
- Upgrade Strategically: Staying on EBS 12.2 under Premier Support aligns with continuous innovation, optimizing your operations without surprises.
Real-World Trends & Industry Insights (2025 Edition)
1. Real-Time Analytics Is Accelerating Fast
Global demand for real-time analytics is surging: it’s projected to grow from $1.1 billion in 2025 to $5.26 billion by 2032, at a whopping 25% CAGR. Another forecast spots it at nearly $10 billion in 2025, with a strong 11%+ CAGR ahead. All of this highlights how businesses everywhere want instant, operational insights, and staying on a fully supported EBS helps deliver that reliably.
2. Oracle EBS Consulting Services Are Growing Too
The market for Oracle EBS consulting services, supporting customers in upgrading and optimizing EBS, is expected to hit around $2.5 billion in 2025, growing at about 8% annually through 2033. This signals ongoing demand for stable, modern EBS landscapes, and the risks enterprises face when they’re not on the latest supported releases.
3. Oracle Thrives in the Cloud & AI Momentum
Oracle’s cloud strategy is gaining traction: Q1 2025 cloud revenue jumped 22% year-over-year to $5.6 billion, with IaaS up 46% and SaaS up about 10%. On top of that, Oracle was named a Leader in IDC’s 2025 MarketScape for public cloud infrastructure. The bottom line? Oracle is investing big, and staying on a supported version like EBS 12.2 keeps your path clear toward cloud integration.
Why These Numbers Matter for Support Strategy
- Growing expectations for real-time analytics mean your EBS uptime and features need to keep pace. Premier Support ensures you’re not left lagging.
- As the EBS consulting market expands, it shows many organizations are still trying to catch up, often because they’re behind on support. That’s risky and expensive.
- With Oracle doubling down on its cloud and AI products, being on a fully supported EBS becomes a strategic enabler, not a blocker, for future modernization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s the difference between Premier, Extended, and Sustaining Support?
-Premier Support (EBS 12.2) = full coverage: patches, updates, certifications, compliance updates, and 24/7 help guaranteed through at least 2036.
-Extended Support (for 12.1.3 and older) = partial coverage with extra fees. Some services (like third-party certifications) aren’t included.
-Sustaining Support = bare-bones; no new patches or compliance updates. It’s “keep the lights on” mode, not a growth strategy. - Is Premier Support really extended through 2036?
Yes! As of March 2025, Oracle confirmed that Premier Support for EBS 12.2 is extended through at least 2036. That means long-term stability and continuous updates without forced major upgrades. - What about Market Driven Support (MDS)?
MDS is Oracle’s temporary gap-filler for customers still on EBS 12.1.3. It provides limited security fixes and tax/regulatory updates but lacks middleware support, certifications, and full coverage. It’s expensive and not intended as a permanent solution, just a bridge to 12.2 or Oracle Cloud. - Why is staying on Sustaining Support risky?
Because it leaves you without critical security patches, tax/regulatory updates, or product certifications. For industries under heavy compliance (finance, healthcare, manufacturing), this creates real legal and security risks. - What’s the smartest move in 2025?
Upgrade to EBS 12.2 (or migrate to Oracle Cloud Applications/OCI). That path ensures continuous innovation, full support through 2036, and integration with Oracle’s fast-growing cloud and AI stack, without surprises or gaps.
