  We report the current status of the analysis of the MECS background using the
entire dataset of the BeppoSAX Science performance Verification Phase. We have
collected 360 ks of dark Earth instrumental background, 470 ks of bright Earth
background and 1100 ks of blank field data. We are attempting to model the
instrumental background in terms of its various components (in particular the
spatial modulation of the residual contamination by the built-in Fe calibration
sources), and then use this model, and the information on the vignetting and
the PSF to derive the cosmic background in the 2-10 keV range
