Webservices??

Hi,
I'm a novice programmer, so this might be a stupid request....

If you have a klient KLIENT_A1 and a server SERVER_A1 in domain DOMAIN_A
A server SERVER_B1 in domain DOMAIN_B

Port 80 is open in<->out of both domains.
SERVER_A1 runs a web service.

If I am sitting in front of KLIENT_A1, accessing the website on SERVER_A1, entering som information. Is it possible to have SERVER_A1 communicating with (a service on) SERVER_B1. Which in turn starts a process/task on server SERVER_B1. When the process/task on server SERVER_B1 is finished, the server returns status to SERVER_A1.

Webservices?
Could somone demonstrate in simple terms how its done.
I would like simple example of the service on Server_b1.
Example of the function sending info from the web server.

Is it possible to do this encrypted also? (SSL/SSH)
If yes, How do one go about sending info over ssh/SSL?

I use Visual basic 2008 eXpress edition, which is the preferred language, but use other express syntaxes if you have to.

Thank you for all help.