Synopsys Broadens Hardware-Assisted Verification Tools for Emerging Semiconductor Technologies

Synopsys Expands Its Verification Arsenal

Today, Synopsys, Inc. is stirring up the tech world with an exciting expansion of its hardware-assisted verification (HAV) portfolio. They’ve launched new HAPS prototyping and ZeBu emulation systems powered by the AMD Versal Premium VP1902 adaptive SoC. These next-gen systems promise to deliver not just improved runtime performance but also faster compile times and enhanced debug productivity. Sounds impressive, right? But what does this mean for the industry as a whole?

What’s New in HAPS and ZeBu?

The latest HAPS-200 prototyping and ZeBu-200 emulation systems are built on Synopsys’ innovative Emulation and Prototyping (EP-Ready) Hardware. This means they can be reconfigured and optimized, maximizing your return on investment. The ZeBu Server 5 is particularly noteworthy, boasting scalability that exceeds 60 billion gates (BG). As the complexity of hardware and software in System on Chip (SoC) and multi-die designs skyrockets, these systems are stepping up to the plate to tackle unprecedented verification challenges.

Ravi Subramanian, Synopsys’ chief product management officer, emphasizes the significance of this advancement: “With the industry approaching hundreds of billions of gates per chip and millions of lines of software code, verification of advanced designs poses never-before-seen challenges.” So, how does Synopsys plan to meet these challenges head-on?

Performance Boosts You Can’t Ignore

Let’s break down what the HAPS-200 and ZeBu-200 systems bring to the table. The HAPS-200 system is not just a minor upgrade; it offers a whopping 4X improvement in debug performance compared to its predecessor, HAPS-100. It supports setups that can scale from a single FPGA to multi-rack configurations, all the way up to 10.8 BG.

On the flip side, the ZeBu-200 emulation system doubles runtime performance over the previous ZeBu EP2 model, while also enhancing compile time. This translates to faster turnaround times and a significant boost in development productivity. Plus, it features up to 8X better debug bandwidth, with 200 GB of debug trace memory per module. That’s a game changer for developers!

NVIDIA’s Take on the New Systems

nVidia is already feeling the impact of these advancements. Narendra Konda, VP of Hardware Engineering at NVIDIA, shares, “The Synopsys HAPS-200 offers the fastest prototyping speed in the industry.” With a performance of 50 MHz, this system is crucial for NVIDIA as they aim for rapid yearly releases of their next-gen AI systems. Talk about pressure! But with HAPS-200, they’re confident in scaling their deployment and boosting productivity across their software development teams.

Maximizing ROI with EP-Ready Hardware

What’s even more exciting is the Synopsys EP-Ready Hardware platform. This innovation is designed to optimize ROI and eliminate the guesswork when it comes to balancing emulation and prototyping hardware. Users can take advantage of a broad portfolio of solutions for leading interface protocols through transactors and speed adaptors.

Salil Raje, AMD’s senior VP, emphasizes the transformative nature of this collaboration: “By integrating the AMD Versal Premium VP1902 adaptive SoC into Synopsys’ EP-Ready platforms, we’re not only improving performance metrics but also changing how engineering teams validate and optimize their most ambitious ASIC and SoC designs.”

Collaboration with ARM for Enhanced Solutions

Synopsys is also a key player in the Arm Total Design ecosystem, providing essential tools and advanced HAV capabilities. Kevork Kechichian from Arm notes that the new ZeBu-200 and HAPS-200 platforms will help mutual customers integrate Arm Compute Subsystems (CSS) more effectively, improving turnaround times for complex data center and automotive systems.

Scalability and Speed for Multi-Die Designs

As the demand for scalability in multi-die designs grows, Synopsys is extending its “Modular HAV” methodology to the ZeBu Server 5. This approach enhances scalability beyond 60 BG, significantly reducing compile times and the computational resources needed for the largest multi-die designs.

Additionally, Synopsys is leveraging hybrid technology, which combines virtual models running on host servers with HAV systems. With the introduction of multi-threading technology in Synopsys Virtualizer, software bring-up processes are getting a serious upgrade. Imagine booting a full Android system in under 10 minutes—now that’s efficiency!

Final Thoughts

In a world where technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, Synopsys is stepping up with tools that not only meet the current demands but also anticipate future challenges. With their latest HAPS-200 and ZeBu-200 systems, they are empowering design teams to tackle complex verification tasks while dramatically accelerating time to market. As we look ahead, it’s clear that Synopsys is poised to remain a key player in the hardware-assisted verification landscape. What will they come up with next? Only time will tell!

Background Information

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About AMD:

AMD, a large player in the semiconductor industry is known for its powerful processors and graphic solutions, AMD has consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and user experience. With a customer-centric approach, the company has cultivated a reputation for delivering high-performance solutions that cater to the needs of gamers, professionals, and general users. AMD's Ryzen series of processors have redefined the landscape of desktop and laptop computing, offering impressive multi-core performance and competitive pricing that has challenged the dominance of its competitors. Complementing its processor expertise, AMD's Radeon graphics cards have also earned accolades for their efficiency and exceptional graphical capabilities, making them a favored choice among gamers and content creators. The company's commitment to innovation and technology continues to shape the client computing landscape, providing users with powerful tools to fuel their digital endeavors.

  

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About ARM:

ARM, originally known as Acorn RISC Machine, is a British semiconductor and software design company that specializes in creating energy-efficient microprocessors, system-on-chip (SoC) designs, and related technologies. Founded in 1990, ARM has become a important player in the global semiconductor industry and is widely recognized for its contributions to mobile computing, embedded systems, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. ARM's microprocessor designs are based on the Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) architecture, which prioritizes simplicity and efficiency in instruction execution. This approach has enabled ARM to produce highly efficient and power-saving processors that are used in a vast array of devices, ranging from smartphones and tablets to IoT devices, smart TVs, and more. The company does not manufacture its own chips but licenses its processor designs and intellectual property to a wide range of manufacturers, including Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, and NVIDIA, who then integrate ARM's technology into their own SoCs. This licensing model has contributed to ARM's widespread adoption and influence across various industries.

  

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About nVidia:

NVIDIA has firmly established itself as a leader in the realm of client computing, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation in graphics and AI technologies. With a deep commitment to enhancing user experiences, NVIDIA's client computing business focuses on delivering solutions that power everything from gaming and creative workloads to enterprise applications. for its GeForce graphics cards, the company has redefined high-performance gaming, setting industry standards for realistic visuals, fluid frame rates, and immersive experiences. Complementing its gaming expertise, NVIDIA's Quadro and NVIDIA RTX graphics cards cater to professionals in design, content creation, and scientific fields, enabling real-time ray tracing and AI-driven workflows that elevate productivity and creativity to unprecedented heights. By seamlessly integrating graphics, AI, and software, NVIDIA continues to shape the landscape of client computing, fostering innovation and immersive interactions in a rapidly evolving digital world.

  

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About Synopsys:

Synopsys is a important American software company that specializes in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor intellectual property. Founded in 1986, Synopsys provides tools and solutions for designing and testing complex integrated circuits and electronic systems. Their software aids in the development of semiconductors, electronic products, and software applications, playing a crucial role in advancing technological innovation across various industries. For more detailed information about their products and contributions, you can visit their official website at

  

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Technology Explained

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FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are a type of technology used in the computer industry. They are integrated circuits that can be programmed to perform specific tasks. FPGAs are used in a variety of applications, including digital signal processing, networking, and embedded systems. They are also used in the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. FPGAs are advantageous because they can be reprogrammed to perform different tasks, allowing for greater flexibility and faster development times. Additionally, FPGAs are more energy efficient than traditional processors, making them ideal for applications that require low power consumption.

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SoC: A System-on-Chip (SoC) is a highly integrated semiconductor device that encapsulates various electronic components, including processors, memory, input/output interfaces, and often specialized hardware components, all on a single chip. SoCs are designed to provide a complete computing system or subsystem within a single chip package, offering enhanced performance, power efficiency, and compactness. They are commonly used in a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to embedded systems and IoT devices, streamlining hardware complexity and facilitating efficient integration of multiple functions onto a single chip.

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