Combining Always Encrypted AND Column level encryption

Question

We have requirements to encrypt sensitive column data using SQL Server 2016 and selected the Always Encrypted(AE) feature to encrypt those columns using deterministic approach.. Since the AE deterministic encryption doesn't allow inequality range or LIKE queries on these encrypted columns we have tried of doing encryption for these type of columns using the symmetric key (column level) encryption technique. Is it a good practice to implement the AE feature on certain columns(which doesn't need any inequality range or LIKE queries ) and symmetric key type encryption on columns where inequality range or LIKE queries needs to be generated? Is it a good practice to combine the AE encryption and column level encryption on a single table considering the performance security and maintenance ? Experts advice please. Thanks Saravanan V

Sundar · Answer

There may be slit slow down in process since we are in encrpt and decrpt process. Apart from this I figured any other much big issuses. I suggest you to go with this way.

Saravanan V · Answer

Thanks a lot Sundar. In my case table's usage will be high. And also we are going to implement the same strategy of encryption for successive projects. So need to know any drawbacks are there considering the performance security and maintenance for this hybrid approach of encryption.

Sundar · Answer

Hai Saravanan  You are following a good method of encryption only. In my projects also some columns should be encrypted. And the same Method as you follow is done in my projects. But My table's column and that table's useage is less. Since I did not found any performance issues.

Saravanan V · Answer

Manikandan I'm not asking for what is always encrypted or how to do it? Please read the complete details of the posted scenario.

Manikandan Murugesan · Answer

Refer the following Link : https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/security/encryption/always-encrypted-database-engine