Closing “quality gap” in functional verification !!!

Recently i came across a white paper on a new EDA tool certitude which is used to close the ”quality gap” in functional verification using mutation techniques. The tool introduces mutations in the RTL code and then subjects the mutated RTL to the verification team's test bench and checks if the verification environment has been able to detect, activate and propagate the mutations. If the verification environment is able to catch the mutations, then the verification is probably complete and there is a reasonable certainty that no bugs are left. If not, there could be serious weaknesses in the test bench and it needs to be reworked. Put simply, if the verification testbench cannot detect the mutations (or bugs) introduced, chances are there that other bugs are also left out.


Another way to see the situation is that after introducing mutations, we have two versions of the RTL code, one original and one mutated (say, bugs) and the verification environment is passing both. Clearly then there is a weakness in the verification environment which needs to be fixed.

The tool works with all the major simulators available in the market and works with all languages C, System C, System Verilog, Specman e, Vera.

VMM 1.2 tutorial !!!

I was looking out for a nice tutorial on the new features of VMM 1.2. I came across this 2 hr video tutorial on VMM 1.2 features on the VMM central web site (http://www.vmmcentral.org ). Nicely composed video covers all aspects of VMM 1.2 release from implicit phasing, analysis ports, transport & factory. Definitely useful for VMM 1.1 users migrating to VMM 1.2.

Another verification methodology UVM !!!

Recently through one of my friends i came to know about the development of a new verification methodology UVM.The UVM ( Universal verification methodology ) is being standardized by Accellera Technical Subcommittee (TSC) and claims to solve the system verilog cross methodology interoperability problem. This methodology is being suppored by all the 3 major EDA vendors synopsys, cadence and mentor. The advantage of switching to this methodology (when it is available) is portability of the methodology across different vendors. The base code for this methodology will be from OVM version 2.0.3.The base classes for UVM methodology is expected by Q1 2010.


It is still not clear about the backward compatability of this methodology with OVM. To me backward compatibility with VMM is out of question as the base code for this methodology is from OVM.