mental improvements during the same period. What is clearly needed in verification techniques and technology is the equivalent of a synthesis productivity breakthrough. In the second edition of Writing Testbenches, Bergeron raises the verification level of abstraction by introducing coverage-driven constrained-random transaction-level self-checking testbenches all made possible through the introduction of hardware verification languages (HVLs), such as e from Verisity and OpenVera from Synopsys. The state-of-art methodologies described in Writing Test benches will contribute greatly to the much-needed equivalent of a synthesis breakthrough in verification productivity. I not only highly recommend this book, but also I think it should be required reading by anyone involved in design and verification of today's ASIC, SoCs and systems. Harry Foster Chief Architect Verplex Systems, Inc. xviii Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models PREFACE If you survey hardware design groups, you will learn that between 60% and 80% of their effort is now dedicated to verification.

CHAPTER 6 Architecting Testbenches 221 Reusable Verification Components 221 Procedural Interface 225 Development Process 226 Verilog Implementation 227 Packaging Bus-Functional Models 228 Utility Packages 231 VHDL Implementation 237 Packaging Bus-Functional Procedures 238 240 Creating a Test Harness 243 Abstracting the Client/Server Protocol Managing Control Signals 246 Multiple Server Instances 247 Utility Packages 249 Autonomous Generation and Monitoring 250 Autonomous Stimulus 250 Random Stimulus 253 Injecting Errors 255 Autonomous Monitoring 255 258 Autonomous Error Detection Input and Output Paths 258 Programmable Testbenches 259 Configuration Files 260 Concurrent Simulations 261 Compile-Time Configuration 262 Verifying Configurable Designs 263 Configurable Testbenches 265 Top Level Generics and Parameters 266 Summary 268 CHAPTER 7 Simulation Management 269 Behavioral Models 269 Behavioral versus Synthesizable Models 270 Example of Behavioral Modeling 271 Characteristics of a Behavioral Model 273 x Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models Modeling Reset 276 Writing Good Behavioral Models 281 Behavioral Models Are Faster 285 The Cost of Behavioral Models 286 The Benefits of Behavioral Models 286 Demonstrating Equivalence 289 Pass or Fail? 289 Managing Simulations 292 294 Configuration Management Verilog Configuration Management 295 VHDL Configuration Management 301 SDF Back-Annotation 305 Output File Management 309 Regression 312 Running Regressions 313 Regression Management 314 Summary 316 APPENDIX A Coding Guidelines 317 Directory Structure 318 VHDL Specific 320 Verilog Specific 320 General Coding Guidelines 321 Comments 321 Layout 323 Syntax 326 Debugging 329 Naming Guidelines 329 Capitalization 330 Identifiers 332 Constants 334 334 HDL Specific Filenames 336 HDL Coding Guidelines 336 337 Structure 337 Layout

Verification is too often approached in an ad hoc fashion. Visually inspecting simulation results is no longer feasible and the directed test-case methodology is reaching its limit. Moore's Law demands a productivity revolution in functional verification methodology. Writing Testbenches Using SystemVerilog offers a clear blueprint of a verification process that aims for first-time success using the SystemVerilog language. From simulators to source management tools, from specification to functional coverage, from I's and O's to high-level abstractions, from interfaces to bus-functional models, from transactions to self-checking testbenches, from directed testcases to constrained random generators, from behavioral models to regression suites, this book covers it all. Writing Testbenches Using SystemVerilog presents many of the functional verification features that were added to the Verilog language as part of SystemVerilog. Interfaces, virtual modports, classes, program blocks, clocking blocks and others SystemVerilog features are introduced within a coherent verification methodology and usage model. Writing Testbenches Using SystemVerilog introduces the reader to all elements of a modern, scalable verification methodology. It is an introduction and prelude to the verification methodology detailed in the Verification Methodology Manual for SystemVerilog. It is a SystemVerilog version of the author's bestselling book Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models.

Offers users the first resource guide that combines both the methodology and basics of SystemVerilog Addresses how all these pieces fit together and how they should be used to verify complex chips rapidly and thoroughly. Unique in its broad coverage of SystemVerilog, advanced functional verification, and the combination of the two.

The first edition of Principles of Verifiable RTL Design offered a common sense method for simplifying and unifying assertion specification by creating a set of predefined specification modules that could be instantiated within the designer's RTL. Since the release of the first edition, an entire industry-wide initiative for assertion specification has emerged based on ideas presented in the first edition. This initiative, known as the Open Verification Library Initiative (www.verificationlib.org), provides an assertion interface standard that enables the design engineer to capture many interesting properties of the design and precludes the need to introduce new HDL constructs (i.e., extensions to Verilog are not required). Furthermore, this standard enables the design engineer to `specify once,' then target the same RTL assertion specification over multiple verification processes, such as traditional simulation, semi-formal and formal verification tools. The Open Verification Library Initiative is an empowering technology that will benefit design and verification engineers while providing unity to the EDA community (e.g., providers of testbench generation tools, traditional simulators, commercial assertion checking support tools, symbolic simulation, and semi-formal and formal verification tools). The second edition of Principles of Verifiable RTL Design expands the discussion of assertion specification by including a new chapter entitled `Coverage, Events and Assertions'. All assertions exampled are aligned with the Open Verification Library Initiative proposed standard. Furthermore, the second edition provides expanded discussions on the following topics: start-up verification; the place for 4-state simulation; race conditions; RTL-style-synthesizable RTL (unambiguous mapping to gates); more `bad stuff'. The goal of the second edition is to keep the topic current. Principles of Verifiable RTL Design, A Functional Coding Style Supporting Verification Processes, Second Edition tells you how you can write Verilog to describe chip designs at the RTL level in a manner that cooperates with verification processes. This cooperation can return an order of magnitude improvement in performance and capacity from tools such as simulation and equivalence checkers. It reduces the labor costs of coverage and formal model checking by facilitating communication between the design engineer and the verification engineer. It also orients the RTL style to provide more useful results from the overall verification process.

CHAPTER 6 Architecting Testbenches 221 Reusable Verification Components 221 Procedural Interface 225 Development Process 226 Verilog Implementation 227 Packaging Bus-Functional Models 228 Utility Packages 231 VHDL Implementation 237 Packaging Bus-Functional Procedures 238 240 Creating a Test Harness 243 Abstracting the Client/Server Protocol Managing Control Signals 246 Multiple Server Instances 247 Utility Packages 249 Autonomous Generation and Monitoring 250 Autonomous Stimulus 250 Random Stimulus 253 Injecting Errors 255 Autonomous Monitoring 255 258 Autonomous Error Detection Input and Output Paths 258 Programmable Testbenches 259 Configuration Files 260 Concurrent Simulations 261 Compile-Time Configuration 262 Verifying Configurable Designs 263 Configurable Testbenches 265 Top Level Generics and Parameters 266 Summary 268 CHAPTER 7 Simulation Management 269 Behavioral Models 269 Behavioral versus Synthesizable Models 270 Example of Behavioral Modeling 271 Characteristics of a Behavioral Model 273 x Writing Testbenches: Functional Verification of HDL Models Modeling Reset 276 Writing Good Behavioral Models 281 Behavioral Models Are Faster 285 The Cost of Behavioral Models 286 The Benefits of Behavioral Models 286 Demonstrating Equivalence 289 Pass or Fail? 289 Managing Simulations 292 294 Configuration Management Verilog Configuration Management 295 VHDL Configuration Management 301 SDF Back-Annotation 305 Output File Management 309 Regression 312 Running Regressions 313 Regression Management 314 Summary 316 APPENDIX A Coding Guidelines 317 Directory Structure 318 VHDL Specific 320 Verilog Specific 320 General Coding Guidelines 321 Comments 321 Layout 323 Syntax 326 Debugging 329 Naming Guidelines 329 Capitalization 330 Identifiers 332 Constants 334 334 HDL Specific Filenames 336 HDL Coding Guidelines 336 337 Structure 337 Layout

Verification is increasingly complex, and SystemVerilog is one of the languages that the verification community is turning to. However, no language by itself can guarantee success without proper techniques. Object-oriented programming (OOP), with its focus on managing complexity, is ideally suited to this task. With this handbook—the first to focus on applying OOP to SystemVerilog—we’ll show how to manage complexity by using layers of abstraction and base classes. By adapting these techniques, you will write more "reasonable" code, and build efficient and reusable verification components. Both a learning tool and a reference, this handbook contains hundreds of real-world code snippets and three professional verification-system examples. You can copy and paste from these examples, which are all based on an open-source, vendor-neutral framework (with code freely available at www.trusster.com). Learn about OOP techniques such as these: Creating classes—code interfaces, factory functions, reuse Connecting classes—pointers, inheritance, channels Using "correct by construction"—strong typing, base classes Packaging it up—singletons, static methods, packages

Based on the highly successful second edition, this extended edition of SystemVerilog for Verification: A Guide to Learning the Testbench Language Features teaches all verification features of the SystemVerilog language, providing hundreds of examples to clearly explain the concepts and basic fundamentals. It contains materials for both the full-time verification engineer and the student learning this valuable skill. In the third edition, authors Chris Spear and Greg Tumbush start with how to verify a design, and then use that context to demonstrate the language features, including the advantages and disadvantages of different styles, allowing readers to choose between alternatives. This textbook contains end-of-chapter exercises designed to enhance students’ understanding of the material. Other features of this revision include: New sections on static variables, print specifiers, and DPI from the 2009 IEEE language standard Descriptions of UVM features such as factories, the test registry, and the configuration database Expanded code samples and explanations Numerous samples that have been tested on the major SystemVerilog simulators SystemVerilog for Verification: A Guide to Learning the Testbench Language Features, Third Edition is suitable for use in a one-semester SystemVerilog course on SystemVerilog at the undergraduate or graduate level. Many of the improvements to this new edition were compiled through feedback provided from hundreds of readers.

Describes a small verification library with a concentration on user adaptability such as re-useable components, portable Intellectual Property, and co-verification. Takes a realistic view of reusability and distills lessons learned down to a tool box of techniques and guidelines.