CAD/CAM/CAE : electronic design automation, 1992 - Archive Server

arena, electronics manufacturers are increasingly
selecting VHDL as the langtiage of choice Selection
of VHDL over Verilog EDDL stems not from
any particularly superior capabilities of tiie
language—in fkct it is somewhat inferior in
many -ways—but rather because VHDL is perceived
by the market to be fully endorsed and
heavily supported by most electronic design
automation (EDA) and ASIC suppliers. The
upshot is that the collective market power of
the EDA and ASIC suppliers promoting VHDL
has overshadowed the attempts initiated by
Verilog HDL proponents to sustain its momentuncL
Furthermore, we believe that Cadence
failed to seize upon a window of opportunity in
1991 to significantly bolster Verilog HDUs market
position. The company's seemingly laisseziaire
attitude toward Verilog HDL standardization
during that time has been a boon to most
opponents of Verilog HDL: In our view, this is
somewhat imfortunate, given Verilog HDL's ease
of use, production-proven status, growing thirdparty
support, ASIC library support, and general
popularity among users.
Despite the trend toward VHDL, many electronics
manufacturers continue adopting Verilog
HDL. We estimate that Cadence soM an additional
1,500 to 1,800 Verilog-XL simulator
licenses in 1991. This brings the installed base to
approximately 5,500 single- and multiple-user
licenses, which translates to 10,000 to 15,000
users of the Verilog-XL simxilator. It is important
to note, however, that only a portion of the
Verilog-XL user base can be viewed as "sophisticated"
users of the Verilog HDL. In this context,
we estimate tihat only 30 percent to 35 percent of
the 10,000 to 15,000 Verilog-XL users can be considered
familiar enough with the language to
use it as a design entiy vehicle for a top-down
design.
Furthering the Verilog HDL cause, several small
EDA vendors, including both established companies
and start-up ventures, are developing EDA
products based on Verilog HDL. Yet to date,
none of the larger EDA vendors has announced
support for Verilog HDL. Lack of endorsement
by the bigger players remains a significant
impediment to Verilog liDL standardization,
although less so titan it did six months ago.
Since ttien Cadence acquired Valid Logic, which
significantly boosted the company's market
power in the HDL arena. Many users of the
CADA?AM/CAE—Electronic Design Automation Applications
Valid Logic CAE system that at one time would
have migrated direcQy to VHDL are now likely
to evaluate and perhaps adopt Verilog HDL.
Still, companies such as Dazix, Mentor Graphics,
Racal-Redac, and 'N^ewlogic have not endorsed
Verilog HDL. To do so would bolster Verilog
HDL's market position, which ostensibly would
also strengthen Cadence. Thus, most of
Cadence's competitors are loatii to support
Verilog HDL. In addition, Synops)rs, an early
and strong advocate of Verilog HDL, has been
vigorously promoting VHDL since its acquisition
of Hie Zycad VHDL-based simulation product
line in October 1990. Not surprisingly, the conv
pany has been gradually distancing itself from
the Verilog HDL. Although Synopsys is dwarfed
by Cadence and Mentor Graphics, the company
has played a central role on the HDL battlefield.
Indeed, Sjmopsys can be credited with helping
to establish Verilog HDL as a de facto standard
in the marketplace. In our view, S3mops3re' market
power and its ability to influence Hie direction
of the HDL trends will continue to expand
as a result of its nearly unfettered penetration of
Hie logic sjmfhesis market
HDL Market Share in North America and Japan
Dataquesf s most recent research in North
America and Japan (conducted in the second
half of 1991) shows the market share of the
various HDLs currently in use. The research
was conducted by surve3nng managers and engineers
at several hundred electronic design sites,
most of which have 500 employees or more.
The survey sample consisted of current users of
EDA tools that run on botii technical workstations
and personal computers. The pie chart in
Figure 1 indicates tiiat tiie percentages of Verilog
HDL users and VHDL users in Nortii America
are approximately equal Figure 2 illustrates the
current HDL market share in Japan and shows
that Verilog HDL currently hold^ the leadership
position in the Japanese market
It is important to note that the data in Figures 1
and 2 were not captured using a bottomrup
approach and, thus, may be somewhat less
accurate than a surv^ of VHDL product suppliers.
However, the data correlate weU with our
bottozn-up market share analysis conducted in
early 1991 (see the CAD/CAM newsletter entitled
"The HDL Showdown: VHDL versus
Verilog HDL," April 1991), which shows approximate
parity between VHDL and Verilog HDL.
April 27, 1992 ©1992 Dataquest IncoipoiatBd CCAM-EDA-DP-9201