How can I connect to a HTTPS server from within a servlet?

I think you might have used java.net.URL class, which doesn't support the HTTPS protocol. You can use com.oreilly.servlet.HttpsMessage class for connecting to a https server from java any program. You can download these package from http://www.servlets.com/cos/index.html. Also take a look at the following article in javaworld at the following url: http://www.javaworld.com/javaworld/javatips/jw-javatip96_p.html