What is the purpose of a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)?

The purpose of a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is to combine multiple hard drives to enhance both performance and fault tolerance. By using multiple disks, RAID can be configured to distribute data across the drives in a way that improves read and write speeds, making data access faster. Additionally, certain RAID levels provide redundancy, allowing the system to continue functioning even if one or more drives fail. This means that important data remains accessible, and the risk of data loss is minimized, which is crucial for environments that require high availability and reliability.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary function of RAID. Increasing storage capacity alone does not reflect its role in data integrity and performance. Organizing files in the cloud is a different concept and does not relate to physical disk management. Backing up data in a single location contradicts the redundancy aspect, as RAID focuses on data protection through the distribution of data across multiple disks rather than consolidating it in one spot.