If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will operate independently, so it will have its own Operating System and you can later install server side apps directly or script-driven internet sites via a hosting Control Panel. Though keeping the Os updated isn't always considered a necessity, it can be a really important task for several reasons. A more modern Operating system version may have better support for certain hardware, so you might get better performance for the websites and web applications that you install. Your server shall also be more secure since updates normally include security patches which resolve small problems that may allow unauthorized people to access your content. Last, but not least, current script versions, which are also released for both enhanced security and for additional features, may require a later version of the Os in order to work effectively and with their full capabilities.