Final answer:
To load external data into a cluster, an SSTable is created from the data and then loaded, ensuring efficient access and storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
While loading external data into a cluster, the b) SSTable is created from the external data and loaded. When external data is imported into a system like Apache Cassandra, it's not directly loaded as raw files. Instead, the system transforms this data into a format that it can manage more efficiently, typically in the form of Sorted String Tables, or SSTables. These SSTables are then used to load the data into the database cluster. This process ensures that the data is optimized for quick access and efficient storage within the cluster's architecture.