Cadence Announces VirtualBridge Adapter for Palladium Z1 Emulator to Accelerate Software Bring-Up Time by Up to Three Months

VirtualBridge Adapter enables a new virtual emulation use model for the Palladium Z1 Enterprise Emulation Platform, increasing debug efficiency

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- May 31, 2017 -- Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) today announced the release of the new VirtualBridge^™ Adapter, a virtual emulation technology that accelerates software bring-up in pre-silicon verification versus RTL simulation. The VirtualBridge Adapter allows software engineers to start their pre-silicon verification tasks with the Cadence^® Palladium^® Z1 Enterprise Emulation Platform up to three months earlier, complementing their traditional in-circuit emulation use model. For more information on the new VirtualBridge Adapter, visit www.cadence.com/go/virtualbridge.

The VirtualBridge Adapter is available as a software add-on to the Palladium Z1 platform. The adapter expands the customer’s use model and enables teams to extract the most value out of their hardware investment. It allows engineers to interface virtually with peripherals, providing the flexibility to run jobs without physical constraints, and improving debug efficiency by augmenting physical debug with virtual debug capabilities for repeatable debug and controlled error injection. Through a balanced distribution of verification tasks between in-circuit and virtual emulation and smooth integration with other Cadence tools such as Palladium Hybrid, design teams can maximize their hardware investments and reduce overall software bring-up time.

“Virtual emulation is a key capability for software-driven hardware verification and system validation,” said Dr. Anirudh Devgan, executive vice president and general manager of the Digital & Signoff Group and the System & Verification Group at Cadence. “Coupled with our Palladium Z1 emulator, the VirtualBridge Adapter enables our users to further shorten their development cycle as they are pressed to bring quality products to market quickly.”

The VirtualBridge Adapter further extends the innovation within the Cadence Verification Suite and supports the company’s System Design Enablement strategy, which enables system and semiconductor companies to create complete, differentiated end products more efficiently. The Verification Suite is comprised of best-in-class core engines, verification fabric technologies and solutions that increase design quality and throughput, fulfilling verification requirements for a wide variety of applications and vertical segments.

“Cadence’s VirtualBridge Adapter enables us to implement complex, multi-GPU configurations with ease,” said Narendra Konda, director of hardware engineering at NVIDIA. “It complements the Palladium Z1 platform’s in-circuit emulation testing capability and enables us to run our applications and drivers earlier in our development cycle.”

About Cadence

Cadence enables electronic systems and semiconductor companies to create the innovative end products that are transforming the way people live, work and play. Cadence® software, hardware and semiconductor IP are used by customers to deliver products to market faster. The company’s System Design Enablement strategy helps customers develop differentiated products—from chips to boards to systems—in mobile, consumer, cloud datacenter, automotive, aerospace, IoT, industrial and other market segments. Cadence is listed as one of Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For. Learn more at www.cadence.com.