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Breakthrough Compression Technology for the Semiconductor Industry - GDSII and MEBES Formats

New Era in GDSII and MEBES Compression
Solution-Soft's gdzip as percentage of normalized gzip
 
Recognizing the challenge to transfer, manipulate and store the exponentially-increasing size of IC design files, Solution-Soft has developed gdzip™ and mezip™, breakthrough compressors for the GDSII and MEBES formats used by the semiconductor industry. The MEBES format is the most commonly used format for electron beam lithography and photomask production. The GDSII stream is the standard exchange format between the design world and the mask shops.

As designs become more complicated and with the aggressive application of Optical Proximity Correction (OPC), the data volumes have exploded. It is now common to have designs in the Gigabyte (GB) range for both GDSII and MEBES files. In 2002, the maximum MEBES data volume for a single layer is about 100 GB, and this is predicted to increase to 150 GB and 200 GB in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

The large GDSII and MEBES file sizes create challenges for file transfer, manipulation and storage. With the increasing popularity of the fabless trend and external mask shops, GDSII and MEBES files are constantly transferred electronically between design houses, foundries, mask shops and tool vendors. Prolonged, large file transfers increase the tape out cycle time. These large files also decrease the reliability of transfers because of transmission errors and line drops. These failures further increase the tape out cycle time.
Breakthrough Solutions - The traditional approach is to use generic compressors, such as gzip and Unix compress to make files smaller for transmission and storage. However, generic compressors can no longer meet the needs of the increasing file sizes in the semiconductor industry. Working with industry leaders, Solution-Soft has developed patent-pending breakthrough solutions, gdzip and mezip, that compress files as much as 10 times more than generic compression tools. These significantly increased compression ratios make the tape out process faster and easier by providing:
  • Faster file transfers

  • More reliable file transfers
  • Reduced network bandwidth usage
  • Significant online and off-line storage savings
  • Faster and smaller backups, archives and restores
  • Reduced management and infrastructure costs.
Ensured reliability - To ensure file integrity, our compressors create a block-by-block checksum during the compression process that can be used during decompression to verify that the decompressed file is identical to the original. This advanced block-level checksum provides superior data integrity to gzip, which generates only one file-level checksum.

Benefits - If a generic compressor reduces a 1 GB file by 50% to 500 MB, Solution-Soft's compressors will typically compress that same file to between 250MB and as little as 50 MB. This means that files compressed with our technology take a fraction of the time to transfer and a fraction of the space to store as files compressed with gzip, UNIX compress, or other common compressors.

  • Faster File transfers - gdzip and mezip will speed up file transfer by 2 to 10 fold. This can save hours in transfer time for GDSII and MEBES files.

  • More Reliable File Transfers - Because the files are much smaller using gdzip and mezip, the chances of a transmission failure during the lengthy transfer process are significantly reduced. Since these failures are often not discovered until much later, these failures can add days to the tape out cycle. When integrated with Solution-Soft's SafeVelocity file transfer product, completely error-free transmission is virtually guaranteed.

  • Reduced network bandwidth usage - The smaller file sizes achieved using gdzip and mezip significantly reduce network bandwidth usage. These savings extend the life of your existing infrastructure and defer the need to upgrade to expensive larger bandwidth lines.

  • Significant online and off-line storage savings - With file sizes reduced by a factor of between 2 and 10, storage requirements are greatly reduced. These savings apply equally to on-line disk storage as well as off-line archiving media.

  • Faster and smaller backups, archives and restores - Similarly, the time needed for backups and restores is reduced by a factor of 2 to 10.

  • Reduced management and infrastructure costs. - Significant cost savings are achieved as a result of personnel time saved monitoring file transfers, juggling disk space, and managing network bandwidth and storage resources. Infrastructure savings result from reduced use of system resources, disk space, archiving media and bandwidth.
    		•
    Reduced Tape Out Cycle Time - Many file transfers occur during each tape out cycle. By reducing the file transfer time from 2 to 10 times during each transfer and increasing the transfer reliability, the overall tape out cycle time is reduced. A faster tape out cycle means faster time to market.

    NEW Decompressor DLL!
    Solution-Soft's new DLL [Dynamic Link Library] module allows transparent in-line decompression of GDSII and MEBES files with any EDA tool.  When combined with our advanced GDSII or MEBES compressors the DLL will allow applications such as Cadence's K2 QuickView or Mentor Graphics' Calibre to read a compressed design file directly from disk without needing to manually decompress the file before opening.  Read more.... 

    Customers Verify Results - Click below to see actual tape out data provided by our customers comparing file sizes after compression using gdzip and mezip vs. the same files compressed using gzip.

    GDSII Comparison Data
    MEBES Comparison Data

    File Formats Supported- Solution-Soft offers specialized compressors for the GDSII file format and the MEBES file format both used extensively by the semiconductor industry. Compressors for other formats are in development. Please contact us if you would like to inquire about a different file format.

    Operating Systems Supported - Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, True64 and Linux. If you need an operating system currently not supported, please contact us.

    Solution-Soft invites you to test-drive our specialized compressors today. Contact our Sales Department at 408-346-1424 or sales@solution-soft.com.

    Companion product to improve the reliability of your file transfer process - Eliminate time consuming retransmissions, corrupted data, and partial transfers using Solution-Soft's SafeVelocity File Transfer Product. SafeVelocity is specifically designed to provide the highly reliable transfer of gigabyte-sized files while increasing security. In addition to its numerous error checking and auto-resume features, SafeVelocity is the only file transfer product that knows the size of files to be transferred in advance and automatically notifies users of transfer failures.
     
    GDSII Customer Test Results
    File Size
    gzip
    Ratio
    gdzip
    Ratio
    Reduction
    Mask Shop A
    1469 MB
    344 MB
    23.4%
    180 MB
    12.2%
    47.7%+
    744 MB
    136 MB
    18.3%
    64 MB
    8.6%
    52.9%+
    1222 MB
    226 MB
    18.5%
    32 MB
    2.6%
    85.8%+
    998 MB
    245 MB
    24.5%
    122 MB
    12.2%
    50.2%+
    1363 MB
    330 MB
    24.2%
    149 MB
    10.9%
    54.8%+
    15508 MB
    2672 MB
    17.2%
    164 MB
    1.1%
    93.9%+
    Design House A
    1478 MB
    393 MB
    26.6%
    215 MB
    14.5%
    45.3%+
    756 MB
    194 MB
    25.7%
    99 MB
    13.1%
    49.0%+
    Design House B
    765 MB
    125 MB
    16.30%
    46 MB
    6.00%
    63.2%+
    Foundry A          
    1437 MB
    332 MB
    23.1%
    107 MB
    7.4%
    67.8%+
    1381 MB
    309 MB
    22.4%
    99 MB
    7.2%
    68.0%+
    674 MB
    117 MB
    17.4%
    36 MB
    5.3%
    69.2%+
    646 MB
    126 MB
    19.5%
    20 MB
    3.1%
    84.1%+
    619 MB
    117 MB
    18.9%
    30 MB
    4.8%
    74.4%+
    Mask Shop B          
    2312 MB
    420 MB
    18.2%
    272 MB
    11.8%
    35.2%+
    1316 MB
    290 MB
    22.0%
    157 MB
    11.9%
    45.9%+
    286 MB
    51 MB
    17.8%
    7 MB
    2.4%
    86.3%+
    102 MB
    18 MB
    17.6%
    1 MB
    1.0%
    94.4%+
     
     
    MEBES Customer Test Results
    File Size
    gzip
    Ratio
    mezip
    Ratio
    Reduction
    Foundry A
    46.8 MB
    14.6 MB
    31.2%
    10.8 MB
    23.1%
    26.0%+
    1300 MB
    586 MB
    45.1%
    167 MB
    12.9%
    71.4%+
    Mask Shop A
    223 MB
    80 MB
    35.9%
    36 MB
    16.4%
    54.2%+
    664 MB
    197 MB
    29.6%
    122 MB
    18.3%
    38.2%+
    1239 MB
    345 MB
    27.8%
    216 MB
    17.5%
    37.2%+
    7872 MB
    2176 MB
    27.6%
    686 MB
    8.7%
    68.5%+
    Writer Vendor A
    22.7 MB
    6.3 MB
    27.8%
    3.4 MB
    15.0%
    46.0%+
    14 MB
    6.6 MB
    47.1%
    4.5 MB
    32.1%
    31.8%+
    2009 MB
    1028 MB
    51.2%
    810 MB
    40.3%
    21.2%+
    27411 MB
    DNF
    DNF
    11297 MB
    41.2%
    N/A
    Design House C          
    419 MB
    194 MB
    46.3%
    108 MB
    25.8%
    44.3%+
    2241 MB
    993 MB
    44.3%
    419 MB
    18.7%
    57.8%+
    7487 MB
    3258 MB
    47.8%
    2492 MB
    33.3%
    23.3%+
    7354 MB
    3125 MB
    42.5%
    2452 MB
    33.3%
    20.9%+
    15759 MB
    9655 MB
    61.3%
    7587 MB
    48.1%
    21.6%+
    Mask Shop B
    213.1 MB
    58.7 MB
    27.5%
    35.5 MB
    16.7%
    39.5%+
    285.3 MB
    75.2 MB
    25.2%
    45.4 MB
    15.9%
    39.6%+
    Mask Shop C
    8.4 MB
    1.4 MB
    16.8%
    0.2 MB
    1.9%
    88.7%+
    1831 MB
    1070 MB
    58.4%
    843 MB
    46.0%
    21.2%+
    2382 MB
    1347 MB
    56.5%
    987 MB
    41.4%
    26.7%+
     
    Copyright © 1993-2008 SolutionSoft Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Michael Morrison - Storage Management and Date & Time Testing

     

    “We standardized on gdzip & mezip for many years now with UMC and our mask shop partners.  With the volume of data that we have, the cost savings and operation efficiency gains are tremendous.  We are very happy with the products and Solution-Soft’s first rate of technical support.”
     Peter Peng,
    Deputy Division Director, mask Engineering & Service Division, UMC.

    "We use gdzip, mezip, and tapeout client everyday here at Xilinx. The products have more than paid for by themselves in just one year of production usage!"
    Dr. Wolfgang J. Leitermann
    Sr. Manager of Tapeout Operations, Xilinx

    "We have successfully adopted gdzip and are happy with it's performance."
    Eric Minami
    CAD Manager, Marvell Technology Group
    "Solution-Soft's compressor gdzip has saved us a considerable amount of storage space and backup time. Since our partners also use the compressors, we both benefit from shorter, more reliable and more secure ftp transfers."
    Juergen Geissler, Tapeout Engineer
    Major European semiconductor manufacturer

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    See detailed data from our customers:

  • GDSII

  • MEBES
    		•

    Data Sheet:
  • Unix (Solaris, Linux, HP-UX, AIX, Tru64)

    • Case Studies:
  • UMC
  • European chip maker

  • Xilinx

    •