Mentor Graphics Delivers End-to-End Design Tool Support for Xilinx Virtex-II Pro FPGA Family

Wilsonville, OR, March 5, 2002 -Mentor Graphics Corp. today announced comprehensive design tool support for the new Virtex-II ProTM FPGA family from Xilinx, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLNX). Extracting maximum performance from the Virtex-II Pro family for applications, such as high-speed data communications systems, requires an end-to-end design and verification solution comprising tools for creation through synthesis. To this end, Xilinx has teamed with Mentor Graphics to ensure that tool development occurs in lockstep with new architecture announcements.

"Combining microprocessors with multi-gigabit serial transceivers on a single device introduces a level of design complexity that forces closer relationships with the EDA community," said Rich Sevcik, senior vice president, FPGA Products at Xilinx. "In tandem with our introduction of the Virtex-II Pro family, Mentor Graphics delivers a state-of-art synthesis tool, Precision? Synthesis, that is uniquely tailored to address the timing optimization challenges of cutting-edge FPGA design."

To support the performance requirements of the Virtex-II Pro architecture, Mentor Graphics offers a full suite of FPGA solutions, including products for design management, verification, co-verification, embedded systems, intellectual property and FPGA-on-board. In addition, Mentor's STAR-award winning Customer Support team is available to address all tool usage requirements.

"With its unique combination of on-chip microprocessors and high-speed peripherals, the Virtex-II Pro Family will change the application areas that can be serviced by FPGAs," said Anne Sanquini, vice president and general manager of the HDL Design Division at Mentor Graphics. "Extracting the high speed promised by these devices requires easy-to-use and flexible tools designed specifically to meet the needs of programmable system platforms. Our collaboration with Xilinx provides our mutual customers with a complete tool flow to architect, customize and optimize designs faster, enabling high-performance results without costly and time-consuming silicon re-spins."

About the Virtex -II Pro ™ FPGA Family
The Xilinx? Virtex -II Pro FPGA family is the world's first FPGA to immerse high performance IBM PowerPC processors in the Virtex?-II fabric with multi-gigabit serial transceivers to solve high-performance architectural challenges. Using its patent-pending IP Immersion™ technology, Xilinx has integrated these two essential requirements for next-generation systems, RISC processing and high-speed serial technology, in the popular Virtex-II fabric, which includes the advanced Active Interconnect™, BlockRAM and clock management features. This unprecedented level of integration offers systems designers the highest level of performance with the lowest system cost available from any programmable solution. The use of behavioral synthesis technologies allows partitioning for optimal system performance during definition, during debug and after product shipment. Designers can now get the performance they need without costly and time-consuming re-designs.

About Mentor Graphics Corporation
Mentor Graphics Corporation (Nasdaq: MENT) is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronics and semiconductor companies. Established in 1981, the company reported revenues over the last 12 months of more than million and employs approximately 3,100 people worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777; Silicon Valley headquarters are located at 1001 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, California 95131-2314. World Wide Web site: www.mentor.com .

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Mentor Graphics is a registered trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. Precision is a trademark of Mentor Graphics Corporation. Xilinx and Virtex are registered trademark of Xilinx, Inc. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, please contact:
Amy Malagamba Mentor Graphics 503.685.7836 amy_malagamba@mentor.com	Jeremiah Glodoveza Weber Shandwick 415.354.8375 jglodoveza@webershandwick.com