Final answer:
RAID stands for 'Redundant Array of Independent Disks,' which is a storage technology that combines multiple physical disks into one or more logical units for redundancy and performance improvement. The correct answer to the student's question is option B.
Step-by-step explanation:
RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. This is a data storage virtualization technology that combines multiple physical disk drive components into one or more logical units for the purposes of data redundancy, performance improvement, or both. Option B, 'redundant array of independent disks', correctly defines RAID.
In RAID configurations, data is distributed across the disks in various ways, known as RAID levels, depending on the required level of redundancy and performance. The data is stored across the disks in a RAID array using techniques like striping, mirroring, and parity. The choice of RAID level is based on the trade-off between performance, availability, and capacity.