INDUSTRY

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. today announced the industry's first complete front-to-back advanced IC package and printed circuit board (PCB) design flow to run on Linux as part of its version 15.1 IC packaging and PCB design environment release. For design teams looking for proven alternatives to Windows and Unix platforms, Linux offers a high-performance, low-cost, robust and truly open-source operating system (OS). The Cadence(R) 15.1 software release will deliver an entire Cadence IC packaging and PCB design environment on the Linux OS, providing customers with more options as they determine their optimal EDA IT environment. "We anticipate significant improvements in reliability and performance afforded by the release of the Cadence PSD tools for the Linux operating system," said Jamie Tait, group leader of Design Tools and Advanced Methodologies for Mitel Networks. "A Linux-based PSD will provide productivity gains for our users, as well as simplifying the administration of our design environment." Offering its IC packaging and PCB design solutions on Linux is consistent with the Cadence commitment to provide its customers with more choices and flexibility to enhance the price/performance ratio of their PCB design environments. The Cadence PCB Design Studio, part of the 15.1 release, is a cost-conscious and scaleable design suite targeted to meet the specific price and performance needs of a design team. Running this design suite on Linux will enable Cadence customers to achieve greater price/performance from their EDA IT environment. The Cadence PCB Design Expert line will also be available on Linux, providing a cost-effective solution for design teams focused on complex, high-speed, constraint-driven PCB designs. "IBM's Linux offerings, supported by in-depth expertise in open-source standards, provide partners like Cadence with the technology to accelerate their customers' design processes by lowering costs while boosting compute power," said David Jursik, vice president of IBM Deep Computing Sales. "By incorporating Linux as an option for its IC package and PCB design flow, Cadence is enabling its customers to creatively enhance performance and is providing its customers with the option to move away from more expensive proprietary operating systems." "Cadence is the leader and innovator in IC package and PCB design," said Jamie Metcalfe, vice president of marketing for the silicon-package-board business unit at Cadence. "By offering the choice of having an IC packaging and PCB design flow on Linux, Cadence is continuing to provide its customers with the most choice and flexibility in hardware platform and operating system performance." Using Linux offers significant benefits for PCB designers and IT directors who manage EDA IT infrastructure: -- Linux reduces total cost of ownership (including equipment, software, administration and environmental factors) due to relatively low licensing fees, fewer administrative costs and customizable features designed to meet customers' specific needs. -- Linux is a highly secure operating system, which enables problems to be fixed within hours, reducing downtime and making companies more productive. -- Linux enables broader and more cost-effective deployment of mission-critical engineering and manufacturing functions. -- Linux provides seamless platform connectivity to other operating systems.