Temporary symmetric keys are a great idea. However, SQL Server’s current implementation falls apart based on a requirement that makes them all but usable.
If you think temporary symmetric keys and temporary tables have the same scope, you will be in for a surprise. Read on to discover the truth.
Temporary symmetric keys in SQL Server behave similar to temp tables. In particular, they are stored in tempdb and automatically go away at the end of the session. Make sure however that you do not get caught creating a non-recreatable temporary symmetric key…