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