If you get a server of your own, it will run independently, so it will have its own Operating System and you could later install server side programs directly or script-driven sites through a hosting Cp. Though keeping the Operating System updated isn't always considered a necessity, it can be a quite important task for a number of reasons. A newer OS version could have better support for specific hardware, so you may get better performance for the websites and web applications that you install. Your server will also be more safe because updates usually include security patches that deal with small issues which may enable unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, current script versions, which are also released for both improved security and for additional features, may need a later version of the Operating System in order to work properly and with their full capabilities.