Tools to encrypt sql server database

Question

I don\'t want customers to be able to make backups of my sql server database and access the tables data etc.

I know there are some products that will encrypt the data in

Answer 1

Transparent Data Encryption will encrypt the database on disk, but is unencrypted in memory, so appropriate security would also be necessary to ensure unauthorised users cannot access the table. As it's an Enterprise-only feature, you can safely move away from it.

SQL Server 2005 and above have built-in encryption features - have a look at Books Online, and especially Chapter 5 - Encryption of Adam Machanic's Expert SQL Server 2005 Development book (technically, Lara Rubbelke wrote chapter 5 though).

Note that you'll only want to encrypt some columns - those that you'll never try to look up, as encrypted columns are pretty much useless for indexing. Adam Machanic's book suggests ways to solve this problem.