Verification Methodology
The Mentor Graphics® Verification Technology team is dedicated to providing you the tools and technology you need to effectively and efficiently verify your design. The key to any verification effort is to start with the right methodology for your needs.
Open Verification Methodology 
OVM is based on the IEEE 1800 SystemVerilog standard and supports design and verification engineers developing advanced verification environments that offer higher levels of integration and portability of Verification IP. The methodology is non-vendor specific and represents interoperability with multiple languages and simulators. OVM is fully open, and includes a robust class library and source code.
- Download the OVM Kit at OVMWORLD.ORG
Advanced Verification Methodology
The AVM, developed by Mentor Graphics, is the industry’s first open-source verification methodology, serving as the catalyst and the foundation for the joint development of the OVM. The AVM and the Verification Cookbook continue to serve many users as their verification methodology of choice, and Mentor will maintain support for the AVM under Apache 2.0 open-source terms. The OVM was specifically designed to be backward-compatible with the AVM, so testbenches and VIP created with the AVM can be easily ported to the OVM if desired.
Learn More...The Mentor Graphics® Advanced Verification Methodology is the first, true, system-level-to-RTL verification methodology that allows you to apply leading-edge verification technologies to designs at multiple levels of abstraction, using multiple languages. The AVM provides libraries of base classes and modules in open-source form and uses TLM interfaces as the communication mechanism between verification components.The AVM CookBook for SystemVerilog & SystemC kit includes extensive runnable examples, in both SystemVerilog and SystemC, and extensive, book-form documentation that discusses the different concepts introduced in each example.
- Multiple Levels of Abstraction
True system-level-to-RTL verification methodology - Advanced Verification
Supports advanced verification technologies, such as constrained-random stimulus, functional coverage, and assertions. - Testbench Reuse
Includes a set of executable examples, libraries, and extensive documentation (the Advanced Verification Methodology Cookbook for SystemVerilog & SystemC) for developing modular, reusable testbenches. - Open Source
Open and non-proprietary code is freely available to anyone under an open-source Apache 2.0 license. - Standard Languages
Based on standard languages, it uses only 100 percent LRM-compliant code SystemVerilog and SystemC. As a result, code is reusable and “future-proof.” - TLM Standard
Based on the OSCI TLM standard, implemented in both SystemC and
SystemVerilog, making it easy to link to embedded software and transaction-level models.
Verification Methodology Manual
For users with legacy Verification IP written using the VMM, a version of VMM is now available for Questa under the Apache 2.0 open-source license. Questa’s powerful and comprehensive support for SystemVerilog-based design and verification flows made direct support of VMM for SystemVerilog possible after changes were made to VMM to adhere to the IEEE 1800 standard. The resulting VMM source code for Questa is now more portable among SystemVerilog implementations than prior versions of VMM, making it easier for VMM users to transition to OVM over time.
Learn More...The changes that were necessary to bring the VMM code into compliance with the IEEE 1800 SystemVerilog standard are distinguished with Mentor Graphics copyright notices in the source files in keeping with the Apache 2.0 open-source license agreement. While adoption of OVM has been rapid, migration of legacy VMM environments to OVM has been limited due to VMM source-code access and license restrictions. With access and license restrictions now lifted and with the general availability of VMM for Questa, users can now plan a smoother migration path to OVM that can include reuse of their legacy VMM IP and environments. To facilitate the use of VMM for Questa a companion whitepaper is also available for download with the open-source code.
| Mentor Graphics provides the kit examples in open source form under the Apache-2.0 license. While we will make every effort to ensure the examples work correctly, we do not guarantee the correctness or applicability of the code. |