Final answer:
The format that supports exact binary storage like VARBINARY columns is Flat, which allows each line in the file to store one record of binary data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The data encoding format that supports exact storage of all data in binary representations such as VARBINARY columns is Flat. Flat formats, often referred to as flat files, store data in a plain text file where each line can carry one record. They are not structured like databases with rows and columns but can still support binary data when used in conjunction with binary formats like VARBINARY. Formats like Parquet, RCFile, and SequenceFiles are more sophisticated compression and encoding formats that store data in a more complex, often columnar, structure, which is more efficient for certain types of processing but not specifically intended for exact binary storage as flat files can provide.
The data encoding format that supports exact storage of all data in binary representations such as VARBINARY columns is Parquet.
Parquet is a columnar storage file format that is optimized for use with big data processing frameworks. It allows for efficient storage and retrieval of data, and supports binary data types like VARBINARY.
Unlike other options mentioned (RCFile, SequenceFiles, and Flat), Parquet's design enables it to handle complex data structures and nested data types, making it a suitable choice for data encoding when binary representations such as VARBINARY columns are involved.