SQL aliasing to redirect traffic between databases on the same server In order to upgrade a database with no client disconnects, I clone an existing database and put it in a readonly mode. Now, I want all user traffic to be redirected from the original database to the cloned one (both are on the same server). I want to do it with SQL aliases. However, I see that aliasing is possible for server instances and protocols. Is there another way to go about database redirects on the same server?
Aliases are only for server/instances of SQL Server, not for databases.

In your case I'd create a database snapshot of the current database (so there's no need for a new read-only copy of your db), redirect all user connections there, do you update, then drop the snapshot. Please take into consideration that a snapshot can take a lot of space if forgotten there, not dropped on time.