Redux Communications Uses Axis' Xtreme to Save Silicon Re-Spin and Catch Bugs Not Detected by Other Verification Methods

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 29, 2001--

Axis Systems' First Customer in Israel Reaps the Benefits of

Xtreme's Emulation, Acceleration and Simulation;

Boots Operating System On Virtual Representation of

Network Processor Chip

Axis Systems Inc. announced today that Redux Communications Ltd., Axis' first Israeli customer, found the breadth of Axis' products to be the key to ensuring first silicon success on a new network processor.

Redux Communications (Modi'in, Israel), which develops technology for broadband Internet services, is using Axis' Xtreme emulation tools and IP Builder software to verify the initial version of its RX-100 network processor. RX-100 is a highly integrated hardware-oriented network processor designed for the rapidly emerging market of subscriber-side broadband traffic processing. Using Axis' products, Redux is able to run real networking traffic and software code on the networking chip before it is manufactured in silicon.

"Because of the highly complex silicon design, it was essential for Redux to have leading edge tools for verification -- hence the choice of Axis' Xtreme," said Israel Ben Shahar, senior chief architect and co-founder at Redux Communications. "Xtreme gives us the ability to run real network traffic through the design, demonstrate virtual silicon to customers and accelerate the verification process.

"Xtreme enables us to quickly and efficiently verify our highly integrated and powerful system design," Ben Shahar continued. "Being able to identify bugs at this stage in our verification process saves significant time and controls costs in the overall process. In addition, our level of confidence has been substantially raised before committing to tape out."

"Finding bugs that other verification methods leave undetected is exactly why we created Xtreme," said Mike Tsai, Axis president and CEO. "We're pleased that the ease of use Redux Communications found with Xtreme helped them identify bugs that would otherwise have required a costly re-spin."

"The breadth of Axis' products made it easy to move from simulation to acceleration to emulation," added Ben Shahar. "The overall integration took just two weeks. It was so easy to use that the design team was able to run its own acceleration and emulation tests without the need for a dedicated verification team, saving us both time and money."

Booting the operating system before silicon

Redux Communications used Xtreme in both acceleration and in-circuit emulation mode while testing their system, which involved two Ethernet boards, a networking processor with an ARM9 core and some glue logic. One of the key advantages of Axis' Xtreme is the ability to directly connect with an ARM core module from within the co-verification environment, resulting in a high-performance hardware/software co-verification solution with accurate representation of the ARM processor.

The Redux design with an embedded ARM9 provided an opportunity to integrate the ARM core with Xtreme for the first time. The combined expertise of the Axis and Redux R&D teams ensured that the integration of the ARM core with Xtreme created a powerful development environment.

By using the ARM core module, Redux was able to boot their operating system on a "virtual" representation of their RX-100 chip, making it a first-time success for both software and hardware designers.

Redux engineers also used Axis' IP Builder to accelerate a model of Ethernet core intellectual property (IP), bought from a third-party vendor, originally delivered in C code. Axis Systems worked with the vendor, using IP Builder to protect their register-transfer level (RTL) model while it was accelerated in Axis' patented ReConfigurable Computing (RCC) engine.

About Axis Systems

Axis Systems Inc. offers high-performance verification platforms for the hardware and software development of complex electronic system and system-on-a-chip designs. Axis' products help increase confidence in new designs, improve overall verification productivity and shorten time to market. On a single platform and with one design database, patented RCC technology provides software simulation, accelerated simulation, system emulation and hardware/software co-verification. Axis' verification products go "way beyond fast" -- they not only run fast, but also help customers identify and isolate bugs in a design faster than any other tool on the market. Customers include the world's leading networking and multimedia companies. Axis is headquartered at 209 Java Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089. To learn more about Axis, visit www.axiscorp.com.

About Redux Communications

Redux delivers an IP-packet based platform, using a unique System-On-Chip, supporting content aware routing that enables broadband personalized services and quality of service, in an open and multi-service environment. The company was founded in November 1999 and has its design operations in Modi'in, Israel. The Redux RX-100 is a very low cost, high performance, highly programmable and highly integrated network processor dedicated to delivering broadband-based IP services into the subscriber premises. The product is portable across any type of broadband access technology. For more information, visit Redux's Web site at: http://www.reduxcom.com.

     Axis
     Yukari Chin, 408/588-2000 x154
     yukari@axiscorp.com
       or
     Cayenne Communication
     Lois DuBois, 650/854-5485
     lois.dubois@cayennecom.com
       or
     Redux Communications
     Margalit Shalgi, 703/744-1196
     magie@reduxcom.com