1. An apparatus comprising: a first interface for linking a higher-order system to the apparatus by a first data protocol; a second interface for linking an automation system component to the apparatus by a second data protocol; a data acquisition circuit and a data transmission circuit that are each connected both to at least one of the interfaces and to one another in such a way that communication is implementable between the systems that are connectable to the interfaces; a data conversion circuit which converts the first and second data protocols with input/output data of both interfaces to one another; a long-term data store integrated with the apparatus, for storing raw data acquired by the data acquisition circuit; a data analysis processor integrated with the apparatus for processing and analyzing the raw data stored in the long-term data store by data processing methods of averaging and/or data compression and/or data filtering and/or spectral analysis; a configuration processor integrated with the apparatus, for configuring the data analysis processor with a portion of computer-readable code stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium with regard to an analysis to be performed and further processing an outcome of the data analysis by one of the interfaces or by the long-term data store, wherein the data acquisition circuit operates a control program which, upon occurrence of an external and configurable event, launches a data reception process including reading in a current value of a previously defined measurement point, wherein the data transmission circuit transmits data received both in the long-term data store and from the data acquisition circuit and data analyzed by the data analysis processor to the higher order system with suitable protocols or data structures, wherein the data analysis processor includes at least one interchangeable function, by which an algorithm for the data analysis processor is definable and variable at any time and which is administered by the configuration circuit; and wherein different algorithms are used for different operating parameters of the automation system component, and wherein the algorithm of the data analysis processor is modified application-specifically and case specifically by replacing the analysis algorithms for the respective operating parameters rendering the apparatus configurable by the configuration processor through one of the interfaces.