Verification Guild: Ottawa Chapter: Meeting #1

bryan_morris_peng · Senior Joined: Jan 08, 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Ottawa

Folks:

As proposed a few weeks ago I'ld like to make a run at establishing an Ottawa Chapter of the Verification Guild. Inexplicably, Janick has some pull at Synopsys Laughing

and has helped me get Dan Benua (one of their Formal Verification Gurus) to give a talk on a formal verification strategy. As well, Synopsys has also very kindly offered to sponsor the event which is to be held at Brookstreet Hotel. Although, don't expect such fancy digs for all the meetings!! I appreciate all that Janick, Dan and James Aitken have done to help bootstrap this first meeting.

Just to forestall the questions forming in your mind: Is this a Synopsys event? No. Synopsys has offered to help initiate the process. The formal verification methodology and tools are of interest to myself and people on this list. Once the group starts generating topics of interest, I will be inviting other EDA vendors to talk about their tool flow. I personally think that EDA vendors are a good source of methodology and tools information. What matters will be what kind of questions we ask the vendors' experts, and the discussion that follows. I'm providing that forum and I am happy to have someone else pay for it. Smile

Please see the agenda I've posted below (it's also posted on the Calendar). Please RSVP to me directly (use the "email" button below) rather than putting unnecessary noise on this forum.

I'm looking forward to meeting you Ottawa Verification folks at the first meeting.

Best Regards,
Bryan Morris, P.Eng., ASIC Verification Team Leader, Ottawa Chapter Dictator for Life, and "Dad" to a very select few.

Agenda for Verification Guild Ottawa Chapter
Meeting #1
---------------------------------------------
Date: Thursday, December 2nd, 2004
Time: 7:30PM (SHARP) until 10:00PM (MAX)
Place: Brookstreet Hotel (Network Room)
http://www.brookstreethotel.com/reach_us/reach_us_map.htm

Introductions (5-10 minutes)
=====================

Purpose of the Chapter and this meeting. (7:30PM)
=====================================

- place to share views about verification methodology:
what did and didn't work; ideas you're trying out
and looking for a second opinion (or to see if
someone else has already tried it and dismissed it);
- quarterly networking event;

Yah,yah,yah! But what is the chapter's ultimate purpose?
=========================================

To stop re-inventing the wheel. We are all doing approximately the same
thing; asking the same questions of the vendors; going through the same
evaluation processes. Most of this information is not proprietary -- we
should share it and help each other get off the "verification costs 70%
of the effort" curve.

Ground Rules for Life, Universe and Everything: (7:40PM)
==========================================

- Open forum: EDA Vendors and Verification Engineers are
welcome to attend. Heck, I'll even let Design Engineers in!! Smile

- I'll welcome all EDA Vendors to discuss their methodologies and tool
flows;

- Be aware of your company's non-disclosure agreement.
Anything discussed here should be considered public
disclosure.

- Pretty much the same content rules as the Verification Guild:

* don't even think of blaming me for anything that happens;
* no negative comments on *any* EDA vendor or competitor;
* not even implicitly;
* No! Stop that!! you're thinking bad thoughts Smile

* There's no such thing as a dumb question. Keep it constructive to
the other participants. I hope (and expect) there to be a wide
range of skills and experiences.

- no resumes at the event -- coordinate after.

Synopsys Formal Verification Expert: Dan Benua: (7:50PM)
============================================

Formal Verification of Assertions:
Implications for Verification Methodology

Presenter: Dan Benua, Senior CAE Manager
Synopsys Inc.
Hillsboro, Oregon

Assertion-based verification and the associated formal verification
technologies have been getting a lot of attention lately. To realize
the benefits of these new approaches, designers and verification
engineers have to understand and manage the methodology changes that
these new technologies require. This talk will outline the basics of
assertions and formal verification technologies, covering both benefits
and limitations. We will focus on some of the methodology problems that
arise when formal verification is added to a conventional simulation-
based flow, and look at how some early adopters are dealing with these
challenges. The final section of the talk will survey some of the
things that EDA vendors (including Synopsys) are doing to lower the
barriers to adoption for formal tools.

Q&A/Discussion (8:50PM++)
======================

Brainstorm future topics of interest (9:15PM)
=================================

I've got one:
* Open Source SystemVerilog Verification Library (pronounced "civil"):

Using RVM as the core methodology and utility classes:
- complimentary set of utility classes and methodology;
- common set of useful tools.
- all open source.

Wrap-Up (9:30PM)
===============

* Date of next meeting:
* Location? Kanata, Downtown?
* Can we go to the Pub, now?

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Very Happy

bryan_morris_peng · Senior Joined: Jan 08, 2004 Posts: 10 Location: Ottawa

Folks:

A gentle reminder of this Thursday's inaugural meeting of the Ottawa Chapter of the Verification Guild. There will be a presentation from Dan Benua Formal Verification Guru from Synopsys, as well as the always entertaining Bryan Morris. Very Happy

I have heard from the following folks who plan on attending: Janick B, James, A, John G, Yanming G, Alexander G, Jason P, Gary V, Meng S, Martin B, Christian M, Trevor L, Aboudi, Neil J, Simon L., Rob P.,MCarter See you folks on Thursday!

If you're interested in coming, please let me know ASAP -- we'd like to setup the place for the correct number of people (i.e. IF you want a seat you let me know, OTHERWISE, "No seat for you!" Laughing

)

You can either use the email button below OR send to bryan_morris_peng "splat" yahoo "splot" "calm" where you should replace ("splat" = @; "splot" = .; "calm" = com;).

Regards,
Bryan Morris