SoC Verification and Validation on Day 1

White Paper Overview

Modern electronic systems consist of increasingly complex combinations of hardware and software as a result of continued “digitalization.” Development of these two fundamental aspects of a system tend to happen over very different timescales, with hardware design starting as much as two years ahead of software.

But hardware verification and validation must include proof that the intended software works correctly on the hardware – a difficult task when software lags so far behind. A software-enabled verification and validation methodology, such as that delivered by Veloce HYCON, allows earlier hardware verification through early workload analysis, breaking the hardware dependency on system software.

A unified software-enabled verification and validation environment breaks the dependencies between hardware design groups and software developers. Verification can progress with models early on, gradually building up the system as the different pieces emerge from development. Verification can begin on Day 1, and final pre-silicon tests need focus only on last-minute refinements and full system validation, hastening tape-out, reducing re-spin risk, and simplifying post-silicon verification.