Synopsys Selected for Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes Program

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Synopsys, Inc. has announced that it is collaborating with Microsoft in the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes (RAMP) program to support the development of integrated circuit hardware and workflow prototypes that incorporate Synopsys' assured design and manufacturing flows into Microsoft Azure. 

"Rapid, secure and assured prototypes are a critical need for modern systems," said Deirdre Hanford, chief security officer at Synopsys. "Synopsys is committed to delivering design and manufacturing solutions that enable development of systems created with security in mind which are needed for the next generation of critical infrastructure, including autonomous vehicles, 5G network equipment, edge AI platforms and hyperscale computing." 

"Through this integration on the RAMP program, Synopsys' trusted design, verification and silicon IP solutions will be available in Microsoft Azure," said Mujtaba Hamid, Head of Silicon & Electronics Industry, Microsoft. "This will allow designers to securely build state-of-the-art silicon devices in a confidential cloud environment."

The RAMP program aims to bring commercial innovation capabilities and speed to the development of semiconductors for government systems. Synopsys will expand its existing digital and analog design and verification solutions, along with its design services expertise, to enable trust and assurance throughout the silicon lifecycle. This unique combination makes it possible to develop security at all phases of a system's life: during design, manufacturing and operation.

Synopsys is partnering with the US Government to help secure integrated circuit devices and the integrated circuit design environment. As part of DARPA's Automatic Implementation of Secure Silicon (AISS) program Synopsys will supply a tool flow and IP repository that helps designers create integrated circuit components with further resistance to attacks. The Department of Defense's (DoD) RAMP program will supply an assured design environment available in the cloud while supporting quantifiable assurance methods. The combination of these two programs will enable measurable confidentiality and integrity of commercial and DoD designs developed in a high integrity cloud environment.