Make Data In Database Read-only But Allow Schema Changes

This is a clarification of an earlier question I asked. It is sufficiently different from that question that I thought it could stand on its own. I create snapshots of a productio

Solution 1:

When new fields get added to the production database and the application changes (which is most likely done during a maintenance window), why not have a script run that updates the snapshots.

You can then make sure that the script changes the read only status to make the update and can log all activity. This will allow you to test your script during development using the development SQL server.

Unless I'm missing something.

Solution 2:

I agree with Michael. You probably have release scripts that you run on production database. Run the DDL part of the scripts against snapshots and change them back to read only mode.