A system and computer program product for backing up a program and a plurality of user instances of the program. First program instructions backup definitions of queues used by the program instances. Second program instructions backup authorizations for the queues. Third program instructions backup a plurality of program-instance configuration files for the plurality of program instances, respectively. Fourth program instructions backup a configuration file for the program. Also disclosed is a method and program product for backing up a user program instance which has locked a queue definition file containing definitions of queues and authorizations for accessing the queues, and which has not locked a configuration file identifying the user program instance. A backup program queries the user program instance for the definitions of the queues and the authorizations for the queues such that the user program instance retains the lock on the queue definition file. In response, the user program reads the definitions and authorizations from the queue definition file and furnishes them to the backup program. The backup program directly reads the configuration file without querying the user program for the configuration file and without locking the configuration file.