> Resolved. Thanks a lot.
>
> Another question about backup:
> - Can backup be done while users are using tables? (through a software)

Yes. The backup is a 'hot backup' that takes a copy of everything as
it looked at the moment the backup started. It does not prevent users
from connecting or making any changes. It ignores anything that has
changed since the backup started (because it is MGA and it can,
deleted records are still in there with the transaction that deleted
them, new records have the transaction that created them and updated
records have the transaction that made each change. This allows the
transaction the backup runs in to ignore records and record versions
that should not be included)

Backup does use a lot of I/O (obviously), so you may want to run it
during a non peak time for performance reasons.

On the other hand, you can not connect to a database until it is
completely restored (unless you like corrupted databases).

There are two mechanisms to backup and gbak gives you access to both.

You can connect to the database with a normal connection and get all
of the meta data then all of the data and put it all into a file.
(This is a grossly simplified version of what gbak does).

Alternatively you can use what is called the services API which asks
Firebird to make a backup of a particular database on your behalf.
Most if not all languages have some components that give you access to
this functionality. (using the -se flag achieves this in gbak).

> - Any automatic backup software recommended?

Check the firebirdsql.org and IBPhoenix.com sites. We had a pretty
detailed requirement that these tools did not (quite) meet so I ended
up just writing a simple Delphi application that used the
TIBBackupService component (IBX) which is scheduled using the windows
scheduler. If you only require a backup to be automatically made at a
set time on particular days, then these tools are fine.

Adam