Need help with netwok storage

I'm a newb with all things network related. I am a Computer Scientist, and my boss thinks I'm also an IT guy, but I know very little about hardware. I need to get data from a computer, and put it on the network, but I can't hook the computer directly up to the network because I don't want to put anti virus on it, because the anti virus will take processor cycles, and I don't want anything slowing down this computer. What would be the best way to hook up an intermediate storage devise between this computer and the network? Should I just use another computer, and if so how do I isolate the intermediate computer so that the work computer can't be accessed? Basically I need this work computer to be hooked up to the network - so that data from this work computer can be accessed - and I can't put anti virus on this work computer, how do I hook the work computer up to the network and ensure it will not get a virus?

Wouldn't trasferring data from one computer to another cause the same issue as putting it on the network? I think it would. You still need to bundle the data and ship it off somewhere else. Whether that be by USB, Firewire, or Ethernet, you're going to come up with the same issue. Just put it on the network.

I'm thinking a firewall/file server would work well for you in this case.

If you can obtain a P4 with 512MB RAM and a small hard drive (>4GB), you could install a linux-based operating system such as ClarkConnect to act as the file server and isolate your computer from the LAN. It can even filter incoming data against viruses and malware, obviating any need to install antivirus software on the protected machine.

Is there any way I could use some kind of external hard drive, and just hook the hard drive up to the network?

In that case, You want a NAS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network-attached_storage

Newegg have several ranging from just empty NAS enclosures *as in you buy your own drives and put them in* or you can get one with pre-configure setups ranging simple 160GB to 5TB and higher.

But forewarn they are prone to fail, get something like 2TB in a raid 5 or raid 1 or raid 10, you should be good to go or 1TB in a raid 5, 1, or 10 if you're tight on money.

http://www.newegg.com/store/SubCate...ory=124&Tpk=NAS

That still won't really solve the problem he wants though since the PC will still need to spend cycles sending its information over to the NAS. New hardware, same problem.

The only way to do this would basically be an off-line backup. When the machine isn't crunching the numbers you need crunched back up the data then to an external machine, NAS, USB data stick, punch cards, etc. That will limit you to non-real time data, but if that suits for you, good luck. If you need real-time data off that machine, your best option is just simply going to be hooking it into the network.

If you're really that concerned about a noisy network consuming that many processor cycles then you can stick it on its own VLAN and eliminate ARP, DHCP, and other broadcast requests.