Axis Systems’ Xtreme Verification Tool Selected to Verify Hardware and Software for PMC-Sierra’s Next-Generation MIPS-based Processors

Designers harness power of Xtreme and reconfigurable computing technology to verify system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs and software applications in hours rather than weeks

SUNNYVALE, Calif. - September 4, 2002 - Axis Systems, Inc. today announced that PMC-Sierra (Nasdaq: PMCS) has selected Axis Systems' Xtreme™ verification system to accelerate the development of PMC-Sierra's next-generation MIPS-based processors. Xtreme, which integrates software simulation, accelerated simulation, and emulation in one system, enables designers to simultaneously verify the hardware design and develop software for target hardware, resulting in reduced verification time.

Xtreme is being used to design and verify hardware and software for PMC-Sierra's RM9000x2Ô 1 GHz multiprocessor, the first next-generation family of high-performance, integrated processors targeted at networking applications such as edge and core routers, remote access products and enterprise servers, high-end laser printers and consumer appliances. The RM9000x2's complex architecture is the foundation for future products that will provide greater processing power through additional CPU cores and higher performance I/O interconnect designed for networking equipment. Previously, running a simulation of the application programs in addition to the operating system required weeks; however, with Xtreme, verification can be achieved in a matter of hours.

"To verify PMC-Sierra's newest designs, we require the best hardware and software debugging tools on the market. Xtreme is powerful enough to verify the design of a processor with multimillion gates and offers the added benefit of enabling us to test software applications on the target hardware design," said Ray Kunita, vice president of product development of PMC-Sierra's MIPS Processor Division. "We are committed to delivering the industry's most comprehensive and cost-effective family of 64-bit MIPS-based processors with the highest speed and performance, lowest power and smallest footprint."

"By offering hardware and software verification in a single platform, we can provide customers such as PMC-Sierra the speed and flexibility they need to get these chips to market faster," said Mike Tsai, Axis Systems' president and CEO.

About PMC-Sierra's RM9000x2

The RM9000x2 is a scalable multiprocessing architecture that solves the industry-wide problem of slow data transfers between processors in cache coherent systems and offers greater throughput efficiencies over single CPU products. Anchored by dual CPU cores running at 1 GHz, the RM9000x2 achieves maximum performance while drawing only five watts of power. The gigahertz CPU speed and low power is achieved using 0.13-micron high performance process. The twin CPUs connect to high speed memory and I/O interfaces through a multiport, shared memory fabric. High speed I/O connectivity, which includes a very high performance 500 MHz HyperTransportÔ bus interface, positions the RM9000x2 to target key applications such as core routers, edge routers, remote access products and enterprise servers. For more information, visit http://www.pmc-sierra.com/processors.

About Axis Systems

Axis Systems, Inc. offers high-performance verification platforms for the hardware and software development of complex electronic system and system-on-chip designs. Axis' products help customers increase confidence in new designs, improve overall verification productivity and shorten time to market. On a single system and with a unified design database, patented RCC technology provides software simulation, accelerated simulation, system emulation and hardware/software co-verification. Customers include the world's leading networking and multimedia companies. Axis is headquartered at 209 Java Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089. To learn more about Axis, visit www.axiscorp.com.