Closed protocol fire alarm system maintenance

[Guest Alan]

Hi - Hoping I can maybe pick someones' brains a little. I am finishing up a course of Fire Safety in tall buildings and the final 'project' is a hypothetical building situation for me to solve. The Rubrik is here:

Your fire detection system is a ‘closed protocol’ system with bespoke features and software. You have just been informed that the company has ceased trading and gone into liquidation. This poses an immediate question mark over spares and replacement parts for the system. Closure, partial closure or business disruption are directed to you as ‘unacceptable’.

I just wanted a little advice if anyone would be able to help - I am looking at increased routine maintenance and inspection of existing system.
phased integration of an open protocol system alongside the existing system utilising whatever is possible of the old system etc as the basis of my answer.

What I wanted to ask as I haven't been able to find much comment online about this is how hard is it to physically change a closed to an open system what are the main problems that I should argue my round? Just want to make sure I am on the right track. Cheers for any help.

alan

[Tom Sutton]

That is a real technical poser why not try http://firealarmengineers.com/forum/they should be able to give a good response.

[Guest Tony C]

If your cable is still usable its all that you can reuse, all your devices and CIE's will need changed cos the closed system devices wont work with the new devices. Both panels can still hit eachother using relays and this would be how you maintain full building cover through the changeover. Also if your system manufacturerer have only gone bust then theres usually be a bit of stock knocking about for a wee while, in fact your service engineer will probably have a few knocking about the back of his van.