( DAC 99 Item 35 ) ----------------------------------------------- [6/25/99]

 SIAMESE TWINS EDA:  The next two "synthesis-aware P&R" tools are so close
 together, so similar, most users can't technically distinguish between
 them: Magma Design Automation ( http://www.magma-da.com ) and Monterey
 Design Systems ( http://www.montereydesign.com ).  To better understand
 where we're at, I've got to cite an illustration Richard Goering of
 EE Times uses:

   Extend Synthesis     Post Synth        Synthesis           Between
  Into Phys. Design    Optimization       Down To P&R       Synth and P&R
   (Synopsys Chip       Into P&R       (Avant! Jupiter,      (Sapphire,
     Architect)     (Magma, Monterey)    Cadence/Ambit)   Silicon Perspec)
  ---------------   ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  |  SYNTHESIS  |   |  SYNTHESIS   |   |  SYNTHESIS   |   |  SYNTHESIS   |
  |OPTIMIZATION |   ----------------   | OPTIMIZATION |   ================
  | PLACEMENT   |   ----------------   |  PLACEMENT   |   | OPTIMIZATION |
  |BLOCK ROUTING|   | OPTIMIZATION |   | BLOCK ROUTE  |   |   PLACEMENT  |
  ---------------   |  PLACEMENT   |   |  CELL ROUTE  |   | BLOCK ROUTE  |
  ---------------   | BLOCK ROUTE  |   ----------------   ================
  | CELL ROUTE  |   | CELL ROUTING |                      | CELL ROUTING |
  ---------------   ----------------                      ----------------

 Verbally, Chip Architect does everything but the final Cell Route.  Magma
 and Monterey takes Design Compiler output and does the rest.  Jupiter and
 Ambit does it all.  Sapphire and Silicon Perspective sandwitch between
 Design Compiler output and other people's Routers.  Now, here's what users
 thought of Magma and Monterey at this year's DAC:

    "The new guys, Magma and Monterey, are examples of the 'synthesis aware
     layout' approach.  Magma strips the synthesis-created netlist back to
     equation level and are prepared to not only do buffer insertion and
     sizing but also logic reorganisation and cloning to maintain timing at
     P&R time.  As far as I can tell, Magma is also the first company to
     automate Ivan Sutherland's Logical Effort Paradigm for sizing circuits.

     Monterey has an incremental refinement approach -- basically everything
     is up for modification as the cells are being placed, globally routed
     and detail routed.  Both Magma and Monterey are "guaranteeing" a one
     pass P&R that meets timing.

     Don't know if its true, but it sure is an attractive story!"

         - an anon engineer