For a customer needing a centralized storage solution accessible by Windows-based laptops and other personal devices, file-oriented storage accessed over SMB (Option D) is the most appropriate recommendation. SMB (Server Message Block) is a network file sharing protocol that allows files to be shared among devices running on a Windows network.
File-oriented storage solutions, like HPE's StoreEasy or Nimble with file services, are designed to serve files over the network using SMB, providing easy and secure access to departmental data.
References:
* HPE File Storage Solutions
* HPE SMB File Sharing