Verification of non-mainline functions in todays processor chips

Abstract

In a modern chip development cycle non-mainline / non- functional verication is gaining importance compared to traditional functional vercation tasks and takes up to one third of the total verication effort. The purpose of non- mainline logic is to operate, maintain, and debug the chip. Ever-increasing complexity of the chip, thus, directly affects the complexity of the non-mainline logic and as a result, the verication thereof. Moreover, the non-mainline world is no longer pure hardware, but an intricate mix of software and hardware. Copyright 2014 ACM.