( ESNUG 366 Item 8 ) --------------------------------------------- [02/23/01]
Subject: ( ESNUG 365 #5 ) DesignSync A Poor Replacement For Cadence TDM
> The ONLY thing that the company has to its advantage is that it is the
> only company offering an interface between Cadence tools and its version
> control software. Synchronicity now owns the GDM interface of Cadence,
> so it might retain its monopoly.
>
> One telling thing: The company did not use its own version control
> software during development of version 1 and 2 -- they used CVS. It
> wasn't until management forced the company to use its own tool did they
> start fixing things in version 3.
>
> After much toil and turmoil with the tool, we decided to scrap the whole
> thing and write our own interface for Cadence based on Perforce. We also
> considered using CVS or even just UNIX tar/cp nightly.
>
> - [ Elvis of Graceland ]
From: Adam Krolnik <krolnik@lsil.com>
John,
Our group reviewed Synchronicity DesignSync at the conceptual level;
comparing it to our existing system and Cadence's tool TDM (Team Design
Manager.)
DesignSync was very expensive for the featureset that it presented. Even
Clearcase wasn't this expensive. People who buy DesignSync had better be
getting a very good discount. There are tools out there with equivalent
functionality and much lower pricing.
DesignSync provided basics, but no structuring around them to ease the use
of the tools as a whole. We were trying to compare DesignSync to the
Cadence TDM tool flow (since Cadence recommended them as the replacement.)
They weren't even close - DesignSync had fewer features than TDM.
DesignSync did not have anything resembling the TDM work/integration/release
cycle. They did not work well in a checkout/checkin/submit and repeat
environment common to RTL design work. DesignSync did not go beyond TDM
with features that were necessary -- removal of files from future releases
(not removal from the database.)
Be wary when you have to purchase an expensive tool and then write a large
framework to implement the process you desire because the tool vendor says,
'we can't implement everyone's process'. They should be providing
sample/example processes for using the tool.
I'm still searching for a good SCM tool.
- Adam Krolnik
LSI Logic Plano, TX
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