Native virtualizer boosts ARM code development
Synopsys has launched a development tool that runs code and IP on ARM hardware natively in the cloud to speed up projects.
The Virtualizer Native Execution uses ARM processor in the cloud to run code directly for modeling, simulation, debug, and analysis. This supports scaling of existing virtual prototypes, full support of Synopsys’ leading interface IP, and access to the Synopsys standards-based models.
This is aimed at developers of automotive chips and software as high performance computing systems and even chips in the Internet of Things (IoT).
The tool is integrated with the Synopsys hardware-assisted verification (HAV) systems for application-level power and performance analysis. This includes hybrid prototyping with Synopsys ZeBu systems, including ZeBu Server 5, ZeBu EP1, ZeBu EP2 and the latest ZeBu-200.
“Software-defined products are driving a re-engineering of product development from silicon to systems,” said Ravi Subramanian, chief product management officer, Synopsys. “Virtualizer Native Execution on Arm accelerates hardware/software co-design by enabling new agile software development methodologies for Arm-based edge and high-performance computing applications.”
This makes use of the commonality of the instruction set between the edge devices and now the servers in the cloud. Running natively in the cloud can simplify and optimize software development, validation, and test workflows with common software development toolchains, use of fast and scalable virtual prototypes and deployment in CI/CD pipelines.
This can provide higher software development productivity and faster turnaround time throughout the product lifecycle, from initial development through over-the-air and maintenance updates.
Using the model libraries available on ARM hardware, including Synopsys Interface IP, accelerators, and other dedicated subsystem models, engineers can start earlier integration and validation of software, from firmware through applications, to speed debug cycles and time to market.
By executing software binaries directly on Arm application processor cores, Virtualizer Native Execution significantly increases simulation execution speed, although this is based on native server speeds of approximately 2 to 4 GHz, significantly faster than the edge devices.
“As the automotive industry evolves, it is critical developers have the tools they need to keep pace with the rapid growth in software,” said Suraj Gajendra, vice president of automotive product and software solutions, Automotive Line of Business, ARM.
“With the introduction of Synopsys Virtualizer Native Execution on Arm, our mutual customers will be able to leverage the benefits of Arm in the cloud and at the edge, beginning software development much earlier, and ultimately saving time and money.”
Virtualizer Native Execution runs on ARM-based chips from Ampere, AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia. Developers can optimise compute resource utilization in the cloud or on-premise, balancing performance, power, and cost to align with their development workflows.
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