Which of the following best describes “big data”?

Big data is best described as data that is too large for traditional data-processing software. This concept encompasses not just the volume of data but also its variety and velocity—essentially, big data refers to data sets that are so massive or complex that they require advanced tools and frameworks for processing and analysis. Traditional software often struggles to handle the scale and complexity associated with big data, which is why specialized technologies like Hadoop, NoSQL databases, and distributed processing frameworks became necessary to analyze and derive insights from such vast quantities of information.

The other options fail to define big data accurately. For instance, focusing solely on structured data does not encompass the large volumes of unstructured and semi-structured data prevalent in big data scenarios. Additionally, while sharing data can be an aspect of data management, it is not a defining characteristic of big data itself. Finally, asserting that big data can only be stored locally disregards the cloud storage and distributed systems that are often used to manage the extensive nature of big data. Thus, option B captures the essence of big data's challenges and requirements effectively.