SQL Server TDE (Transparent Data Encryption) alternatives

TDE (Transparent Data Encryption) is an inbuilt encryption feature of SQL Server Enterprise Edition introduced by Microsoft from SQL server 2008 onwards, this comes in handy when someone has to secure the PII (Personal Identifiable Information) from prying eyes, as it is Enterprise Edition feature only hence comes with a premium price. So while I got a request to analyze implementation of it on more than 200+ SQL standard edition then first thing which has big monetary impact was license cost to convert standard to enterprise, hence the idea was dropped and search started for third party equivalents of TDE which can provide feature as good as TDE but are cost effective to organization, below are few tools which were identified during my research,

Note: at time of writing this article no one of these are tested or implemented, it’s just a first had search and includes some feedback available in other online community. This will save some time for people who are on same ship as I was,

• Netlib Encryptionizer: http://www.netlib.com/tde-sql-encryptionizer.asp
  

  Working procedure: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Product+Reviews/netlibencryptionizerreview/1756/
  

  Feedback/Reviews:
  

  http://sqlmag.com/database-security/protecting-database-encryption
  

  http://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/105120/alternatives-to-sql-server-tde
  

   

• SQL Shield – http://www.sql-shield.com/
  

  Note: No reviews available online
  

   

• DBDefence – https://www.database-encryption.com/
  

  Note: This is Hong Kong based company and have no phone support, kind of sketchy as per following review http://community.spiceworks.com/topic/1018271-dbdefence-great-inexpensive-encryption-software-or-elaborate-trojan-horse
  

   

• Vormetric – http://www.vormetric.com/data-security-solutions/use-cases/MS-SQL
  

  Review/Feedback: https://aws.amazon.com/marketplace/review/product-reviews/ref=dtl_pop_customer_reviews/181-0880217-1417911?ie=UTF8&asin=B00F0R5MJC
  

  This seems to be much better of all and have proper enterprise support and online presence
  

• Safenet – http://www.safenet-inc.com/data-protection/database-encryption/sql-encryption/
  

  Note: No reviews available online
  

Please leave comments if there is anything should be added to above list or have feedback about any one of already listed!