Open platform
Through the AOP programming interfaces, custom functions, interfaces and controls can be added without changing the core system.
Migration to WinGuard X5, with a fallback plan.
Are you still running WinGuard X4 or an older version? Advancis now develops new functions and interfaces only for X5. Here you can see why the change pays off, what changes and how we switch over without putting the operation of your control room at risk.
01 Starting point
Why the change is due now.
A system on WinGuard X4 keeps running. But it no longer receives bug fixes, security updates or new interfaces from the manufacturer. The longer a control room works like this, the greater the gap to the current version.
04/2023Since April 2023, Advancis has been shipping WinGuard X5. X4 has not been sold since.according to Advancis
2024In this year, manufacturer support and bug fixing for WinGuard X4 ended.according to Advancis
X5 onlyNew functions and new adapters are now released only for X5.according to Advancis
VdS 3534Certification for PSIM systems, valid for WinGuard X5 from version 5.29Advancis, January 2026
02 WinGuard X5
What X5 brings.
According to Advancis, X5 is the first WinGuard version built entirely on the new Advancis Open Platform (AOP). For operators, these points matter most:
New adapters all the time
Advancis keeps expanding its range of interfaces and listed over 550 in October 2025. New adapters are only available for X5. To the interfaces →
Automation with JavaScript
Scripts in JavaScript use the entire programming interface, including permanently running ones, for example to react to events. Their execution is deliberately enabled in the settings.
Web client in the browser
The newly built web client shows states and events in the browser, encrypted via TLS. It complements the workstations but does not replace them: there is no automatic alerting there.
Mobile app
The “WinGuard X5” app for iOS and Android: receive, acknowledge and close events, trigger control commands, with rights based on WinGuard user roles.
Updates and certification
Advancis now provides bug fixes and security updates only for X5. X5 from version 5.29 is also certified to VdS 3534. According to Advancis, many property insurers require certified systems for particularly sensitive sites.
Sources: announcements and documentation from Advancis on WinGuard X4 and X5, adapters, web client and app, as well as the press release on VdS certification (in German) ↗, retrieved in October 2026.
03 Technology
What happens technically during the changeover.
The Advancis documentation for X5 describes exactly how the change from X4 works. These points determine planning, time windows and the way back:
First to X4 Build 18
The change to X5 requires an up-to-date X4: WinGuard and all adapters must run at least on X4 Build 18. We first update older systems within X4. AOP adapters also need a version that runs under X5.
In short: below Build 18, an intermediate step is needed.Install fresh, do not overwrite
Advancis recommends installing X5 separately from scratch and copying the project data into a new directory, instead of overwriting the existing installation with the Update Manager. This keeps the X4 installation operational as the way back if something does not work as planned during the changeover.
In short: X4 is kept as the fallback.Data is converted automatically
On the first start, X5 converts the X4 project data itself. With the standard database, WinGuard first creates a copy of the X4 data. An MS SQL database is located outside the project directory and must be backed up separately beforehand. X5 does not take over the event archive and logs automatically; they remain in the backed-up X4 data and can be transferred later with a tool from Advancis if needed. In large projects, conversion and the first data transfer to the workstations take longer; we plan for this in the time window.
Every adapter as its own process
In X5, every adapter, including a former X4 adapter, runs as its own process and can be restarted individually without touching the rest of the system. Copied adapters for several configurations are no longer needed; X5 converts them during the changeover.
Not every X4 adapter behaves the same
According to Advancis (as of X5 Build 5, April 2025), some X4 adapters can only be used with restrictions under X5. Others have been replaced by new AOP adapters; in that case data points are converted and graphics and texts adjusted. That is why we check every connection against the current Advancis information before a date is fixed.
Source: Advancis, documentation “Innovations X5 Build 1.0 to 5.0”, revision 13 of 30.04.2025. The current information from Advancis is authoritative.
04 Process
Six steps. One way back.
A migration changes a state that works today. That is why, before the first step, it is clear how we recognise an abort and how we go back.
Discuss a migration →01
Record the starting point
Version and build, adapters and their versions, modules, licence, servers, workstations and documentation. What runs today, and what of it must keep running?
VersionAdaptersLicence
02
Check compatibility
Do WinGuard and all adapters run at least on X4 Build 18? Is there an X5 adapter for every connected system in its version? Do servers, clients, operating system and database meet the Advancis system requirements?
Build 18AdaptersSystem requirements
03
Clarify licence and scope
Which edition and licence scope suit your system today and after the next expansion? We clarify this with Advancis before you receive a quotation.
EditionData pointsQuotation
04
Back up and test
Full backup, with MS SQL also the database, test environment and test cases from your operation: messages, floor plans, response procedures, control commands and switchover.
BackupTest environmentTest cases
05
Switch over with fallback criteria
Time windows and sequence are agreed with your control room. Agreed beforehand: how do we recognise that we abort, and how long may the way back take? The X4 installation remains until acceptance.
Time windowsAbort criteriaFallback
06
Final check and handover
Functional test against the test cases, record, updated documentation and a short briefing for your team on what changes in operation.
Functional testRecordBriefing
05 Checklist
What to gather before the conversation.
The more complete this information is, the more precisely we can estimate effort, schedule and risks. If something is missing, we record it together in a system check, even if we did not install the system ourselves.
Program version and build
The exact WinGuard version of your servers and workstations. If different versions run at several sites, please name them all. Below X4 Build 18, an intermediate step is needed.
Connected systems
Manufacturer, type and version of each system, plus the connection: network, serial or OPC. Including systems due to be replaced soon.
Adapters and modules
Which interface drivers and add-on modules are in use, with version. List project-specific scripts and customisations separately.
Servers and workstations
Number of servers and clients, operating system, Hot Standby, location servers, database (standard or MS SQL), virtual or physical. A version change is often a good time to renew the hardware as well.
Licence and contracts
Edition, licence scope and whether a Life Cycle Services contract with Advancis exists. Plus existing maintenance agreements with your suppliers.
Documentation and dates
Floor plans, response procedures, contacts for the subsystems, known issues and times when no changeover is allowed.
06 Experience
What matters in the changeover.
Installing the software is rarely the problem. These points decide whether a migration runs smoothly:
Older subsystems
If a connected system is itself discontinued, we clarify early whether there is an X5 adapter for it or whether the system should be replaced first.
Customisations
We check project-specific scripts, texts and procedures individually and test them in X5 before they go live.
Monitoring during the changeover
How monitoring is ensured during the changeover window, for example via the keypads of the subsystems, is agreed with you beforehand.
Your team
Operators learn before the changeover what will change. After the changeover, we practise the most important procedures together. Training and support →
Questions
Frequently asked questions about migration.
Is WinGuard X4 still supported?
According to Advancis, X4 has not been sold since April 2023, and manufacturer support and bug fixing for X4 ended in 2024. New functions and adapters are now released only for X5. An X4 system keeps running but no longer receives fixes or security updates.
Can we move directly from any X4 version to X5?
No. According to Advancis, WinGuard and all adapters must first be at least on X4 Build 18. If your system is below that, we plan an intermediate step within X4.
Is X4 kept as a fallback?
Yes, if installed separately as recommended by Advancis. The X4 installation remains operational until the changeover has been accepted. We additionally back up an MS SQL database beforehand.
Are old events and logs carried over?
Not automatically. According to Advancis, the event archive and logs remain in the backed-up X4 data. Where they are needed in X5, for example for compliance, they can be transferred later with a tool from Advancis. We plan for this from the start.
How long does a migration to WinGuard X5 take?
That depends on the number of interfaces, sites and workstations and on customisations. After recording the starting point, you receive a schedule, including the time window for the actual changeover.
Do our connected systems have to be replaced?
Not necessarily. What matters is whether there is an X5 adapter for each system in its version. We check this before the quotation, system by system.
Can we keep working during the changeover?
We agree sequence and time windows with your control room. How monitoring is ensured during this time and when we go back is set down in writing beforehand.
What hardware does WinGuard X5 need?
That depends on the edition and the connected systems. According to Advancis (as of January 2026), servers run on Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025, workstations on Windows 11. NVMe SSDs, a 1 Gbit network and, for servers, 8 to 32 GB of RAM depending on the edition are recommended. All computers need common time synchronisation. For video integrations, the video manufacturer’s requirements also apply.
Can WinGuard run on a virtual machine?
According to Advancis, WinGuard is designed for dedicated hardware; virtualisation is possible with restrictions. All connected systems must work in the virtual environment, serial connections in particular. For high availability, Advancis recommends WinGuard’s own Hot Standby instead of a virtual machine failover. The licence is tied to the hardware; with changing hosts, a dongle helps.
Do you also migrate systems installed by another partner?
Yes. We start with a system check of version, documentation and interfaces. From this, we develop the migration approach.
The next step
Which version are you running?
Tell us your version and the number of interfaces and workstations. We will get back to you with a proposal for the next steps, usually within one working day.