Cadence Delivers Source Code to OpenAccess Coalition; OpenAccess API and Reference Implementation Enables Design Tool Interoperability.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2002

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NYSE:CDN), the world's leading supplier of electronic design products and services, today announced that it has delivered to the OpenAccess Coalition source code for the OpenAccess reference database implementation. The delivery of this source code marks a major milestone for the OpenAccess Coalition. OpenAccess will enable electronics companies to more quickly and easily create integrated design flows of tools from multiple vendors and internal technology.

"I'm pleased to announce that we've reached this objective in our effort to create a truly open API and database architecture for electronics design," said Steven E. Schulz, president and CEO of Si2. "The OpenAccess Coalition expects to make the database source code freely available to design engineers worldwide in our open-community source program via OpenEDA.org in early January 2003."

The application programming interface (API) and the source code for the reference implementation exceeds the requirements of the original agreement and has been delivered ahead of schedule. Beta testing enabled Cadence and the OpenAccess Coalition to improve and extend the reference database by uncovering bugs and limitations. The resulting source code is a versatile, high-performance, high-capacity data highway and persistent archive that has been engineered for fast development of current and future large chips. The OpenAccess interoperability platform offers lower risk, greater control, and easier maintenance for design engineers.

"Cadence has delivered a high-quality, well-documented, full-feature API and reference implementation," said Scott Peterson, director of Platform Tools and Methodology, LSI Logic and chairman of the OpenAccess Coalition. "We are very pleased with the progress, and look forward to the delivery of multi-vendor plug-and-play design tools that will minimize cost-of-ownership and increase design efficiency."

With the development of this initial version of the OpenAccess source code complete, EDA and electronics companies will be able to download and connect to an industry-standard platform, easing the interoperability investments for vendors and end customers. Electronics companies will be able to leverage the design infrastructure to accelerate complex chip designs and address the challenges of nanometer silicon design.

Cadence is adopting OpenAccess as its common API and unified database for its mainstream products for IC design. It is preparing to deploy OpenAccess in a tightly coupled design system that will interoperate with applications developed by third-party companies and customers. Cadence will extend its current applications by bridging existing data structures to OpenAccess. Cadence also intends to use OpenAccess as the core database technology for its new products.

Cadence executive vice president and general manager for the IC Solutions Business, Lavi Lev, said, "A collaborative development process led to this completed source code and enabled Cadence to achieve a major landmark. OpenAccess is the first design technology built from the ground up for community use as a common API in a multi-vendor environment. OpenAccess proves that collaboration between the electronic design industry and its customers can lead to new technology that will propel industry growth."

About OpenAccess

OpenAccess is a community effort to provide true interoperability, not just data exchange, among IC design tools, through an open standard data access interface (API) and reference database implementation supporting that API for IC design. The OpenAccess technology will help enable easy tool integration, smooth interoperability and faster application development. The initiative is driven by the OpenAccess Coalition, a neutral organization comprised of leading EDA and electronics companies. The Coalition operates under the governance and bylaws of Si2. Visit www.si2.org/openaccess and www.OpenEDA.org for details.

About Cadence

Cadence is the world's largest supplier of electronic design technologies and services. Leading computer, networking, wireless, and consumer electronics companies use the company's solutions to design electronic systems and semiconductors down to nanometer scale. IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society, honored Cadence with its 2002 Corporate Innovation Recognition award. With approximately 5,600 employees and 2001 revenues of approximately $1.4 billion, Cadence has sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CDN. More information about the company and its products and services is available at www.cadence.com.

Cadence and the Cadence logo are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.