SSL (Secure Socket Layer) holds an intermediate position between SSH and traditional protocols: It adds an extra layer to the connection, encrypting the communication between the client and the server, but not requiring the protocols used to support encryption. SSL can be applied to any TCP-based protocol, and it can effectively be handed over to the wrapper, which would filter it and hand it to the real server. However, if the wrapper and the server were not to be located on the same computer, this would completely defeat the encryption done by the SSL, sending the information in clear text over the network to the server.
For further information on SSL, a good place to start is the OpenSSL project's web page[8], as well as the SSLWrapper project's web page[9]