The Milkyway™ Database provides the unifying design storage for Synopsys’ Galaxy™ Design Platform. The production-proven, widely used Milkyway database provides persistent data storage that links Galaxy platform tools together thereby eliminating the need for large, intermediate exchange files and preventing design intent loss through mismatched syntax of exchange formats. Milkyway is proven on well over 10,000 tape-outs including the latest 90 and 65 nanometer technology designs. Designed to be extensible, Milkyway is continuously augmented with new capabilities such as those required for signal integrity, power reduction, and yield enhancement. The Milkyway database C-API was opened for customer interfacing in 1998 and is available to 3rd parties at no charge through Synopsys' MAP-in program. Key Features and Benefits * Production-proven database for all Galaxy Design Platform tools * Capacity that supports the largest designs * Eliminates the need for large design exchange files * Includes physical library preparation * Supports designs in the latest technologies including 90, 65, and 45nm * Precludes design intent mismatches from faulty semantics of exchange files * Open to 3rd-parties (C-API, Tcl, Scheme) through the free MAP-in program * Also provides 3rd-party data input to the Galaxy Platform through LEF and DEF Design Challenges For today's large designs, tremendous volumes of data are generated as a design moves through the implementation phase. Without a common database, tools must communicate through ASCII design interchange files. This presents the following problems for design users: * Exchange file size and transfer times are prohibitive for the largest designs and are detrimental to design turn-around time for all designs. * Use of exchange files between tools during the design flow often introduces errors and inconsistencies because of semantic mismatches between the tools' data. * Technology and design advances often require rapid introduction of new database semantics and features; definition and implementation of exchange languages often lag in implementation of new features, thereby impeding advanced designs. * Companies may want to include specific capability from a 3rd-party vendor. Such enhancements are hindered unless free access to design data, usually through a C- API, is available.