SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IPS CHALLENGES ... · 1 | dvclub | soc design verification using 3rd party ip’s –challenges and guidelines | june18 2015 soc design verification

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 1

SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IPS – CHALLENGES & GUIDELINES

VEDANTHAM KRISHNANPREM C.K

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 2

AGENDA

What is 3rd party IP?.

3rd party IPs - Benefits and Risks.

Verification Considerations on Design IP.

Verification Considerations on Verification IP (VIP).

Execution challenges.

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 3

A component (design/verification) that is developed by an entity other than the original developer of the hardware system/chip maker.

This component could be one/more of the parts that make up a system.

Integrated to operate with the other components in a system.

Either freely distributed or sold (i.e. licensed) by a developer vendor for a cost.

WHAT IS 3RD PARTY IP?

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 4

Soft IPs Offered as synthesizable RTL (HDL)

Permits chip designers to modify designs at the functional level.

e.g. ARM, SATA, USB, PCI express source codes.

Hard IPs Offered as IP cores in their low-level representation

(layout/gate level NL)

Typically synthesis/place and route closed.

The IP functionality cannot be meaningfully modified by chip designers

e.g. - Memory/logic cell macros.

WHAT IS 3RD PARTY IP? (CONTD.)

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 5

Component based design that is easy to fit when size and complexity of systems increases.

Reduced development time cycle.

Reduced development cost.

Better quality assurance.

Increased portability.

Increased interoperability.

Easy scalability.

3RD PARTY IP - BENEFITS

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 6

Requires licensing costs and negotiations.

Requires knowledge ramp up with the IP.

Schedule estimation is difficult.

Due diligence required on a long-term perspective.

A vendor may change business plans or go out of

business.

The vendor may be inflexible to upgrade component.

Unknown Security vulnerabilities.

3RD PARTY IP - RISKS

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 7

No Verification Guidelines

BugsTime & Costs

Non availability of generic verification guidelines

Scattered Information

Bugs captured at later stage involve Time and Costs

Multiple IP Vendors

Verification Unknowns

PROBLEM STATEMENT

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 8

Plan of Record VS Features Offered.

Asks from Vendors.

Reviews critical to verification.

Verification Aspects.

VERIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS - DESIGN IP

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 9

IP version Latest version.

Near term version releases.

Limitations Approach to the requirement than what is supported.

Discuss with internal stake holders and track.

Silicon confidence Silicon Proven?.

PLAN OF RECORD VS OFFERED FEATURES

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 10

ASKS FROM VENDORS - DESIGN IP

IP contacts

Verification Metrics

Simulation specific

• Right set of IP contacts and escalation matrix.

• Local time-zone support options preferred.

• Pass rate/coverage metrics.

• Interpret in terms of SOC level coverage plan.

• Quick initialization options for logic (e.g. memories).

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 11

ASKS FROM VENDORS - DESIGN IP (CONT.)

Emulation specific

Documents

Mailing lists

• Compatibility of design for the target platform.

• Any additional licensing requirements.

• Access to the list of latest available documents.

• IP mailing lists.

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 12

REVIEWS CRITICAL TO VERIFICATION - DESIGN IP

• Vendor Internal issue tracker systems.

• SOC interoperability implications.Known Issues

• Internal (sub-IP level).

• External (Top port level).Tie-offs

• Compilation & Simulation.

• Unsupported Data types.Warnings

• Hard coded values in design.Compilation Switches

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 13

REVIEWS CRITICAL TO VERIFICATION – DESIGN IP (CONTD.)

• Customer pin modes.

• Clock mode pin configurations. Operating modes

• Glue logic between SOC IP and 3rd Party IP?.

• Any Simulation-Vs-Synthesis modelling concerns?.Interoperability

• Is this IP consumed for the first time?.

• Any specific Si learnings?.Lessons learnt

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 14

VERIFICATION ASPECTS - DESIGN IP

• Covering Register R/W across entire address space.

• Constraints related to 16/32 bits registers.

• Constraints related to 32/64 bits internal memories.Address decoding

• Compatibility of design for the target platform.

• Any additional licensing requirements.Emulation

• Stringent test list for integration qualification.

• Adequate to bring-out changes from version-to-version.

• Basic test with default value settings (e.g.: link Initialization).Qualification

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 15

General Considerations.

Asks from Vendors.

Reviews.

Verification Aspects.

VERIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS - VERIFICATION IP

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 16

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS – VERIFICATION IP

IP version Latest version.

Near term version releases.

Inter-working with other VIPs in a shared environment.

Limitations Approach to the requirement than what is supported.

Discuss with internal stake holders and track.

Licensing Additional licensing requirement for specific feature enablement.

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 17

ASKS FROM VENDORS - VERIFICATION IP

Contacts

Reset/Clocking

Coverage Model

Configuration Parameters

Documentation

• Right set of IP contacts and escalation matrix.

• Local time-zone support options preferred.

• Synchronous/Asynchronous.

• Protocol clocking requirements.

• Coverage model in-built OR separate?.

• External Coverage model hook-up considerations.

• Exclusion of un-supported features coverage.

• List of configuration parameters for a specific feature that can be randomized.

• Access to the list of available documents.

• Understand undocumented features.

• Subscribe to the Verification IP mailing lists.

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 18

REVIEWS - VERIFICATION IP

• Is this IP consumed for the first time?

• Any specific feature limitations?Lessons learnt

• From vendor data base and their implications at SOC level.Known Issues

• Data type warnings and unsupported data types

• Implications on other environment components.Warnings

• All checks enabled by default?

• Score boarding support?

• Back door data loading support?Supplemental Support

• Understand the Fixed/random parameters of the VIP

• MIN and MAX variability to cover the SOC POR operational metrics.

Parameterization

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 19

VERIFICATION ASPECTS - VERIFICATION IP

• Protocol compliance/Loopback tests for Silicon Testing.

• Stress tests for different speeds.

• Low Power/Err Inj./Port Reset/Multi-lane tests.Verification plan

• Unit level TB encompassing SOC IP + 3rd Party design IP + VIP.

• Coverage Considerations.Sub-System TB

• Associated with the common libraries during a revision change on any given VIP.Version Incompatibility

• Sim. performance associated with multiple VIPs operating simultaneous.

• Workout any TB feature to disable other VIPs which are not in use.Simulation Performance

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 20

VERIFICATION ASPECTS - VERIFICATION IP (CONTD.)

• Message log for Verification IP and other log generation.

• Controllability from top level TB.Verbosity Controls

• Functional coverage for glue logic implementation (if any).

• Extend/port cover terms that are of system level significance.

• Coverage DB hookup considerations.

• Waiver list .

• IP Toggle coverage at various sub-IP levels .

Coverage

• Long initialization and short initialization casesRegressions Triage

• Side band communication between C to UVM and Vice-versa.

• Error reporting.Message Passing

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 21

First time right IP contact.

Unverified IP features not known explicitly.

Protected Code in IP - Debugging and design insight.

Multiple VIPs:

‒Compiling multiple VIP’s and the related build aspects.

‒Simulation run time overheads.

‒TB implementation aspects.

EXECUTION CHALLENGES

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 22

Last minute IP errata close to tape out.

Non-availability of VIP functional coverage code.

Non-availability of feature documentation from vendor.

EXECUTION CHALLENGES (CONTD.)

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 23

Thank You

| DVCLUB | SOC DESIGN VERIFICATION USING 3RD PARTY IP’S –CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES | JUNE18 2015 24

Q & A