Database hosting is the art and science of providing a managed server that is optimised for running a relational database. Databases are different in that they demand specific hardware and software configurations to correctly support the database.
A database host must optimize I/O for the specific database and storage platform. A database hosting provider will understand how to properly configure RAID levels, volumes, and file layout for optimal performance, growth, and internal resiliency.
A database host must run certified versions of certified operating systems to ensure your database support licenses are valid. A database hosting provider would not attempt to upgrade an operating system to an unsupported version that would invalidate the database vendor support agreement.
Databases also have particular backup requirements. Each database vendor has a specific procedure that must be followed exactly to produce a recoverable backup.