ANSOFT HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRONIC DESIGN NEWS & EVENTS May 2008; Vol. 4, No. 1 More Info: www.ansoft.com DESIGNER'S CORNER: BladeServer 10 Gb/s Ethernet Backplane Design A fundamentally important aspect of high-speed channel design at 10 Gb/s is that significant optimization of the physical channel is required. Path degradation in channels from ISI effects causes poor signal quality and must be minimized or eliminated. “BladeServer 10 Gb/s Ethernet Backplane Design with Equalization Using Statistical Channel Analysis,” a DesignCon 2008 presentation, explores how equalization, statistical analysis, and accurate models can be used to optimize high-speed channels. A case study, based on a 10 Gb/s BladeServer Ethernet backplane, will serve to illustrate how an integrated approach using equalization, accurate physical models, and statistical simulation can be used to optimize the design of an industrial application. View Paper (PDF): http://www.ansoft.com/designcon08/DesignCon08_Bladeserver_FINAL.pdf View Presentation (PPT): http://www.ansoft.com/designcon08/BladeServer10GbE_Final.ppt NEWS: 1. ANSYS Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Ansoft 2. HFSS v11.1 Released 3. Nexxim, Ansoft Designer v4 Enable Efficient High-Speed Electronic Design 4. Q3D Extractor v8 Provides Streamlined Signal Integrity Analysis 5. Maxwell, RMxprt v12 Offer New Capabilities and Streamlined User Interface 6. ePhysics v3 Delivers Multidisciplinary Analysis Framework 7. SIwave v3.5.2 Available for Windows and Linux 8. Multi-Gigabit Serial Channel Design EDN Webcast On Demand 9. “Challenges of Hybrid Power Train Technologies” IEEE Webcast On Demand EVENTS* Workshops and Trade Shows: http://www.ansoft.com/events.cfm?src=news0508 IEEE Power Modulator: May 27-31, Las Vegas, NV, Booth 8 ECTC: May 28-29, Lake Buena Vista, FL, Booth 401 Signal and Power Integrity: June 4, Newton, MA DAC: June 9-12, Anaheim, CA, Booth 1301 IEEE EML: June 10-13, Victoria, BC, Canada PCI-SIG Developers: June 11-12, Santa Clara, CA IEEE MTT-S: June 17-19, Atlanta, GA, Booth 1209 PES General Meeting: July 20-24, Pittsburgh, PA Training: HFSS Advanced Antenna: May 5-6, Boston, MA HFSS: May 8, Irvine, CA Simplorer: May 19-20, Detroit, MI Q3D Extractor: May 20, San Jose, CA HFSS: May 21, San Jose, CA HFSS: June 9-10, Boston, MA Intro to Maxwell: June 17, San Jose, CA HFSS: June 24, San Jose, CA Maxwell 2D: June 24-25, Boston, MA HFSS: June 25, Irvine, CA Ansoft Designer: June 26, Irvine, CA Maxwell 3D: June 26-27, Boston, MA HFSS: July 7-8, Boston, MA HFSS: July 16, Irvine, CA HFSS: July 17, San Jose, CA *For the latest information on dates, times, venues, agendas, and registration, please visit http://www.ansoft.com/events.cfm?src=news0508. CURRENT PRODUCT SHIPPING VERSIONS** Ansoft Designer, v4.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris AnsoftLinks, v4.1, Windows, Linux, Solaris ePhysics, v3.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris HFSS, v11.1, Windows, Linux, Solaris Maxwell v12.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris Nexxim, v4.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris ParICs, v3.2, Windows, Linux, Solaris PExprt, v6.0.36, Windows Q3D Extractor, v8.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris RMxprt, v12.0, Windows, Linux, Solaris Simplorer, v7.0.5, Windows SIwave, v3.5.2, Windows, Linux TPA, v5.0, Windows **To download the latest software versions, please visit http://download.ansoft.com. To search our knowledge base, browse support content, download training materials, or participate in our online technical forums, go to http://www.ansoft.com/ots. 1. ANSYS Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Ansoft ANSYS Inc. and Ansoft have signed a definitive agreement whereby ANSYS will acquire Ansoft for a purchase price of approximately $832 million in a mix of cash and ANSYS common stock. The strategic, complementary, business combination of ANSYS and Ansoft will create the leading provider of best-in-class simulation capabilities with combined trailing 12-month revenues of $485 million. When completed, ANSYS currently anticipates that the transaction will be modestly accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share in its first full year of combined operations. Read More: http://www.ansoft.com/news/press_release/080331.cfm?src=news0508 2. HFSS v11.1 Released HFSS v11.1 is available for Windows(r), Linux(r), and Solaris(r) operating systems. Version 11.1 includes a number of updates and enhancement relating to meshing, modeler validation, model resolution, nastran (.nas) geometry import, parasolid geometry files, and post-processing. To learn more, contact your nearest Ansoft sales office at http://www.ansoft.com/find_a_rep_popup.cfm?src=news0508. 3. Nexxim, Ansoft Designer v4 Enable Efficient High-Speed Electronic Design Nexxim(r) and Ansoft Designer(r) v4 include new statistical analysis and transient simulation capabilities that allow engineers to rapidly simulate high-speed serial channel behavior. This eliminates prototype iterations that require expensive test equipment and multiple spins that delay time-to-market. Nexxim v4 features VerifEye(tm) and QuickEye(tm), new methodologies for eye-diagram analysis that maintain accuracy while offering major reductions in run time. Ansoft Designer v4 features a new “push excitation” feature and enhanced dynamic links to Nexxim, HFSS(tm), SIwave(tm), and Q3D Extractor(r), allowing engineers to accurately predict signal integrity effects and EMI/EMC performance of advanced electronic systems. Read More: http://www.ansoft.com/news/press_release/080306.cfm?src=news0508 4. Q3D Extractor v8 Provides Streamlined Signal Integrity Analysis Q3D Extractor(r) v8 efficiently performs both the 2D and 3D electromagnetic field simulation required to extract RLCG parameters from an interconnect structure and automatically generates an equivalent SPICE circuit model for use in Nexxim(r), the company’s high-capacity circuit simulator, or other Berkeley SPICE-compatible tools. Version 8 includes a new capacitance solver that is capable of extracting the capacitance and conductance with lossy dielectrics. This new solver is optimized to exploit available computer memory and perform multiple frequency evaluations and allows users to model infinite ground planes. Read More: http://www.ansoft.com/news/press_release/080221.cfm?src=news0508 5. Maxwell, RMxprt v12 Offer New Capabilities and Streamlined User Interface Ansoft recently announced the release of Maxwell(r) v12 and RMxprt(tm) v12 for Microsoft Windows(r), Linux, and Solaris. Maxwell v12 includes a new 3D electric transient solver that solves time-varying electric fields due to a transient disturbance, such as lightning strikes on electrical equipment. The new version also is equipped with advanced model healing capabilities, and the Ansoft next-generation desktop architecture has been added to the Maxwell 2D solvers for many new usability enhancements. RMxprt has been upgraded with a new capability to solve three-phase non-salient synchronous machines, automated project setup for Maxwell and a new wire library allowing motor designers to study the effects of various wire types of a design prior to physical prototype creation. Read More: http://www.ansoft.com/news/press_release/080318.cfm?src=news0508 6. ePhysics v3 Delivers Multidisciplinary Analysis Framework ePhysics(tm) v3 provides the ability to couple thermal and stress simulation to Ansoft’s industry-leading electromagnetic field simulation software, Maxwell(r) 3D or HFSS(tm). This combination delivers the multidisciplinary analysis framework needed to solve coupled physics problems and allows users to consider thermal, deformation, and mechanical stress consequences of respective electromagnetic field simulations in applicable devices, such as RF components, electromechanical devices, MEMS, and biomedical applications. Read More: http://www.ansoft.com/products/tools/ephysics/index.cfm?src=news0508 7. SIwave v3.5.2 Available for Windows and Linux Customers can download SIwave(tm) v3.5.2 at http://download.ansoft.com for the following platforms: Microsoft Windows(r) XP Professional, Server 2003 Standard Edition, XP Professional x64 Edition, Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux(r) v3 and v4 32- and 64-bit operating systems. Download SIwave v3.5.2: http://download.ansoft.com/index.cfm?src=news0508 8. Multi-Gigabit Serial Channel Design EDN Webcast Available On Demand Rapid and Accurate Simulation of Multi-Gigabit Serial Channels is available on demand at the EDN website. This one-hour Web seminar introduces two new simulation technologies--fast transient and statistical tools--that are now included in Nexxim(r), Ansoft’s circuit simulation engine. The fast transient tool uses long, user-defined bit patterns to produce an eye diagram. This analysis allows engineers to create controlled stress tests and to identify specific bit sequences that cause bit errors. The statistical tool produces both eye diagram plots and BER curves for complete high-speed channels in minutes. Because these technologies link to full-wave electromagnetic field solvers and a high-capacity circuit simulation engine, accuracy is not sacrificed for the improved simulation speed. View Webcast On Demand: http://www.ansoft.com/eye/index.cfm?src=news0508 9. “Challenges of Hybrid Power Train Technologies” IEEE Webcast On Demand With the introduction of hybrid power-train technologies and their higher voltages and currents, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) has become a critical area of study for automobiles, raising issues for designers that include significant increases in cost and longer design cycle times. “EMI/EMC Simulation Analysis: The Challenges of Hybrid Power Train Technologies,” an IEEE Spectrum Tech Insiders webcast, discusses where 3D finite element (FEM) electromagnetic solvers can be applied to a set of problems in full-vehicle EMC and demonstrates the validity of the solutions with measured results from recent studies. - View “The Challenges of Hybrid Power Train Technologies”: http://www.ansoft.com/powertrain/index.cfm?src=news0508 - View previous webcast “Biomed Looks for High-Tech Solutions”: http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=lobby.jsp&eventid=94308&sessionid=1&key=E3A404EE1B3B57AA0500CD1CAEAC036F&eventuserid=12909582 - View previous webcast: “Optimizing Nanoscale CMOS RFICs”: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=44647&sessionid=1&key=0A000FF6A989AC116FF07AC7F11CC22B&sourcepage=register - View previous webcast: “RF Packaging Trends”: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=35643&sessionid=1&key=8C499D1CEE7026DE501E6C4DAE109AD4&sourcepage=register - - - Copyright 2008 Ansoft Corporation ABOUT HIGH-PERFORMANCE DESIGN NEWS & EVENTS Ansoft's High-Performance Design News & Events is electronically distributed every other month, then posted on our Web site here: http://www.ansoft.com/news/publications/index.cfm?src=news0508. 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