Collaboration provides Synopsys with access to ARM Fast Models

Utilising the VDK for ARM Cortex processors, software teams can start development of software for ARM Cortex-based SoC designs up to 12 months prior to hardware availability, accelerating operating system bring-up as well as firmware and device driver development.

In addition to using reference VDKs from Synopsys, developers can use the combination of ARM processor models with Synopsys' Virtualiser tool set to rapidly create and deploy custom VDKs for software development teams. The VDK Family for ARM Processors comes with reference virtual prototypes that incorporate models of ARM Cortex processors such as the latest ARM Cortex-A35 core, as well as ARM big.LITTLE configurations and models of Synopsys DesignWare Interface IP.

"With ARM processors being deployed across multiple applications, including mobile, automotive, infrastructure and IoT, it is important to provide developers with a strong ecosystem of software and development tools to help them manage the increasing software complexity in these applications," said Hobson Bullman, General Manager, Development Solutions Group, ARM. "Our collaboration allows Synopsys to distribute the latest ARM Fast Models with their VDKs to provide developers with a virtual prototyping solution to start software development much earlier in the design cycle and gain a competitive edge in the market."

Synopsys VDKs are a part of Synopsys' end-to-end prototyping solution, which include products that address architecture exploration, software development and testing, hardware/software integration and system validation. Using the latest ARM Fast Models with Synopsys VDKs, developers can start software development tasks such as OS bring-up, driver and firmware development up to 12 months before silicon.

In addition, architects can derive a task graph from realistic software scenarios and use it to start architecture exploration for their next-gen SoC. VDKs can also be combined with physical prototyping to get the best of both worlds, fast bring-up of software for ARM-based designs with real world I/O interfaces on Synopsys' HAPS FPGA-based prototyping systems.

"Synopsys' long collaboration with ARM helps software development teams take advantage of ARM's latest processors and accelerate their software development effort," said Joachim Kunkel, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Solutions Group, Synopsys. "Using VDKs for ARM Cortex Processors, software developers have an embedded software target at the earliest stage possible to start work on their next-gen devices."