ADO.NET (2.0) communicating with remote SQL server via SSL/HTTPS?

I'm trying to get some understanding on how I can communicate with a MS SQL 2000 server via SSL/HTTPS using my VB.NET (.NET 2.0) code/connection Is this even possible

Reason, I ask is that the environment we're using does not want to have port 1433 open to the outside world and do not want to have VPN's established with our remote locations, so it has been suggested I use SSL/HTTPS to communicate with my SQL server. The ONLY way I know of how to make this happen is to code Web Services (which is a huge re-write of code) and I'm still not sure how to implement via web services -- I've created a couple of basic we services before and they were EXTREMELY slow and I can only imagine they would be even slower using SSL/HTTPS. Keeping in mine the amount of data being transmitted is not trivial (in the order of 100MB/daily)

My questions:

1. Is this even possible without using web services

2. If so, what needs to be in place for this to happen

3. How would my connection string change in my VB.NET code

Thanks, Rob.

.NET Development31

You can read about SSL encrytpion of connections to SQL Server at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189067.aspx and http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms191192.aspx. This does not need web services.

However, note that even with SSL encryption our best practice recommendation is not to open SQL Server port to the outside world, and use a front end, e.g. IIS, instead.