Helen,

H> The backup service requires its own connection to the database. Any
H> instance of embedded can have at most one attachment

wrong, wrong, wrong (I've read this from you three times in the last
week, that accounts for three "wrong"s in a row - it's not that it's
thrice wrong. ;-)). You can have as many attachments as you wish.
What's the problem?

H> since anything
H> currently connected has an exclusive file lock.You still wouldn't be able
H> to back up the database "simultaneously", i.e. if the application was
H> already connected to the database.

Try it then come back with the results, if you please.

Ciao
--
Nando Dessena
http://www.flamerobin.org