> The better solution would be to make sure you are prepared for when
> the hardware does fail. Inform the client that you understand that
> they don't want to upgrade the servers, and that hardware failure is
> not a case of "if" but "when". Lay out a plan to them describing what
> would happen when that occurs, and how you will make sure that their
> downtime is minimal.
For the win!
This is by far the best approach if you want to bring them along. It
has to be THEIR decision, so the best way to get them to make that
decision is to sit back and say "OK, if you don't want to upgrade that
is fine, but we still have to make sure we are prepared for when that
hardware fails, so here is what we'll do ..."
That will probably scare the crap out of them enough to change their minds :-)
--
“Don't eat anything you've ever seen advertised on TV”
- Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food"