> > but if you use gbak (not services api), you can pull the gbk file
> back to
> > the local filesystem during the backup. You don't need to do it to
> the
> > server's local filesystem.
> > Alan
>
>
> I got my hosting company to provide a pointer to the db, and from
> there, I can ftp to my own machine.
>
> Thanks again to everybody who replied to my query.
>
> Regards
> David

FTP? don't think about just copying the database file direct under ftp.
you'll very likely corrupt both the real version and the copied version.
Especially if the DB is large and even more especially if there is current
traffic on the website in question.
You must take a backup of the db via gbak. Maybe you can convince your
hoster to use something like this:
http://www.is.svitonline.com/ddking/
(it's not online at this time for me) but the service they have is easy to
install, it test restores your database and optionally emails the backup to
you (fbk transporable format, zipped) or emails/sms's you of success and/or
failure of the backup/restore process.
Alan