Cloud-Based Scalable Parallel Electromagnetic Tools for Full-System Simulation

Large-scale public cloud commodity computing is a potential paradigm-shifter for EDA tools. However, to go beyond merely web-hosted software and to exploit the true power of on-demand scalable computing is as yet an unmet challenge on many fronts. In this paper, we examine one computationally expensive and rapidly growing area within EDA as a candidate for the cloud, namely parasitic extraction and electromagnetic field simulation. With the growing emphasis on multifunctional systems in consumer electronics around commodity chips, the need for scale and speed in such tools is paramount. We examine from three aspects the suitability of and modifications needed to accelerated multilevel algorithms in boundary element methods in order to ensure cloud deployment: scalability without hitting Amdahl’s law prematurely, fault tolerance with low time penalties in realistic computing systems, and encryption-free approaches to ensuring IP security.