Optimizing test-generation to the execution platform

Abstract

The role of stimuli generators is to reach all the dark corners of the design and expose the bugs hiding there. As such, stimuli generation is one of the cornerstones of dynamic verification. The quality of tools used for stimuli generation affect the outcome of the verification process. This paper discusses how differences between execution platforms, ranging from software simulators, through accelerators and emulators, to silicon affect the requirements of stimuli generators and how stimuli generators targeting different execution platforms address these differences. We demonstrate how the unique added value of the platforms are combined to guarantee the high quality of the silicon using examples of several IBM pre- and post-silicon stimuli generators with results from the verification of the IBM POWER7 processor chip. © 2012 IEEE.