A computer-implemented method for the automated monitoring of an electrical switchgear comprising the following steps: a. synchronised recording of visual image data and/or infrared image data of a monitoring area of the switchgear with at least one camera, b. preferably recording auxiliary data synchronously with the image data with a number of auxiliary sensors, the auxiliary data preferably comprising operating parameters of the switchgear, a sound spectrum recorded with at least one microphone synchronously with the image data in the monitoring area and/or weather data of the monitoring area, c. recognising a monitored object in the visual image data and/or the infrared image data by a computing unit, d. determination of an actual value of a state variable of the monitored object from the visual image data and/or from the infrared image data and preferably from the auxiliary data by the computing unit, e. linking of the synchronously recorded visual image data and/or infrared image data and preferably the auxiliary data with the actual value of the state variable determined therefrom to form a data set with a common time stamp by the computing unit, f. buffering the data set in a buffer memory arranged in the switchgear, whereby the buffer memory is designed as a ring memory or as a first-in-first-out memory of predefined length, g. sending the data set from the buffer memory to a database by the computing unit, h. adapting a storage rate for storing the data set by the computing unit depending on the actual value of the state variable, the visual image data, the infrared image data and/or the auxiliary data, wherein the storage rate is less than or equal to a recording rate of recording the visual image data, the infrared image data and/or the auxiliary data, i. storing the data set at the storage rate in the database by the computing unit and j. creation of a recommendation for action based at least on the actual value of the state variable by the computing unit from the data set temporarily stored in the buffer memory before the data set is stored in the database. a. synchronised recording of visual image data and/or infrared image data of a monitoring area of the switchgear with at least one camera, b. preferably recording auxiliary data synchronously with the image data with a number of auxiliary sensors, the auxiliary data preferably comprising operating parameters of the switchgear, a sound spectrum recorded with at least one microphone synchronously with the image data in the monitoring area and/or weather data of the monitoring area, c. recognising a monitored object in the visual image data and/or the infrared image data by a computing unit, d. determination of an actual value of a state variable of the monitored object from the visual image data and/or from the infrared image data and preferably from the auxiliary data by the computing unit, e. linking of the synchronously recorded visual image data and/or infrared image data and preferably the auxiliary data with the actual value of the state variable determined therefrom to form a data set with a common time stamp by the computing unit, f. buffering the data set in a buffer memory arranged in the switchgear, whereby the buffer memory is designed as a ring memory or as a first-in-first-out memory of predefined length, g. sending the data set from the buffer memory to a database by the computing unit, h. adapting a storage rate for storing the data set by the computing unit depending on the actual value of the state variable, the visual image data, the infrared image data and/or the auxiliary data, wherein the storage rate is less than or equal to a recording rate of recording the visual image data, the infrared image data and/or the auxiliary data, i. storing the data set at the storage rate in the database by the computing unit and j. creation of a recommendation for action based at least on the actual value of the state variable by the computing unit from the data set temporarily stored in the buffer memory before the data set is stored in the database.