When carrying out an industrial process or during the operation of an industrial system or machine, relevant data is to be detected without additionally loading the control of the industrial process or the system or machine in question. For this purpose, the invention provides a control system (1, 4, 5; 1′, 4′, 5′; 1″, 4″, 5″) with a real control (1; 1′; 1″) for controlling an industrial process, a system or a machine; a virtual control (4; 4′; 4″) for simulating the control of the industrial process, the system, or the machine; synchronization means for synchronizing the real control (1; 1′; 1″) and the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″); and a higher-level processor unit (5; 5′; 5″) for detecting and/or generating operating data and/or state data with respect to the process, the system, or the machine, wherein the operating data and/or state data is based on data originating from the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″). By requesting the data from the virtual control (4; 4′; 4″), the real control (1; 1′; 1″) is not additionally loaded.