Method for transferring data from a device to a data management means, switching unit, device and system The invention relates to a method for transferring data (16) from a device (6) to a data management means (4). In order to reduce the amount of data transferred and according to the method of the invention, using modeling data (26, 42) present in the device (6) a model (30, 44) described by the modeling data (26, 42) is determined. Using the model (30, 44), the data that is actually to be transferred to the data management means (4) is selected from a volume of data (40) provided for transfer. The device (6) transfers the selected data to the data management means (4).