Europractice Activities in the University of Cambridge

Contents

• Introduction
• Mailing Lists   on 01/07/20 
• Obtaining software or other services
• Registering a design for fabrication via the Europractice foundry service
• Existing users in Cambridge
• Europractice Invoices (access from .cam only)
• Europractice resources

• Cadence  on 19/12/17
• Mentor    on 20/12/17
• MPW Service
• Synopsys on 20/12/17
• Xilinx on 20/12/17
• Altera on 08/12/17
• Tanner 
• Europractice Courses on 23/07/04
• IMEC

• Obtaining Designer's Kits on 2/07/20

Introduction

The University of Cambridge is an Associate Member of the EUROPRACTICE Initiative.   Our Europractice Site Number is A 35780.

EUROPRACTICE is a European Union initiative, funded by IST (Information Society Technologies Programme), which aims to stimulate the wider exploitation of state-of-the-art microelectronics technologies within Europe. The ultimate goal of EUROPRACTICE is to enhance European industrial competitiveness in the global marketplace.  EUROPRACTICE is open to industrial companies (especially SMEs), research institutes and academic users.

EUROPRACTICE provides five Basic Services:

• IC Manufacturing Service (ICMS) - routes to fabrication, Multi-Project Wafer (MPW) services
• High Density Packaging
• Microsystems
• EuroTraining
• Software Support Service (SSS) - provision of software for electronic CAD

For more information about EUROPRACTICE and its Basic Services, follow this link.

Up to 2003, the University was also a member of the Mentor Direct (link expired) scheme, under which software from Mentor Graphics was made available for teaching and research.   A separate local site hosts local resources and information about Mentor Graphics activity in the University of Cambridge.  Please note that with effect from 1 October 2003 this membership lapsed and all Mentor products have been taken via Europractice (see below).

The University representative for Europractice is David Holburn, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge.  If your Department is interested in making use of facilities available through EUROPRACTICE, please browse this set of pages for further information and contact me if you need further details.

Mailing Lists

Two mailing lists have been set up.  These will augment the information being provided on these pages, which is essentially static.  They will provide an archive of information about various aspects of Europractice and the University's membership of the scheme.   Important local announcements about participation in and withdrawal from packages and services under Europractice will be be published by this means.  Europractice users are strongly encouraged to subscribe. 

In addition, the possibility of distributing licences, install scripts and other software items by this means is being considered (late news: this has not been brought into operation as a result of problems with mails carrying certain types of attachments). This info is now provided thorugh direct downloads from STFC or providers' sites.

Users will be able to decide whether or not to receive messages directed via this route, or whether to read a digest on the web, or in a newsgroup.  

For information about subscribing to this service, please click this cam-only link.

Obtaining software or other services under EUROPRACTICE

EUROPRACTICE offers several packages at concessionary rates for use in the University for teaching and research.  If you are interested in using one of these packages and need to set up a workstation in your own department, you will need to purchase one or more licenses from EUROPRACTICE. 

• How to acquire a software package or a licence for a package (a 'seat')

Please note the following.

• Departments or research groups are responsible for obtaining their own funding for the purchase of licences or seats.  There is no central university funding for this.
• Maintenance charges incurred by the University are invoiced centrally for the period October 1 to September 30 and contributions are requested from Departments by IDN/PO, during the course of the academic year.  If the selected package will be in use by more than one University department, you may be able to share maintenance costs with one or more other Departments.  Such arrangements cannot be guaranteed since Departments may cease their use of a package without warning.  For more information about the status of a specific package, please contact the University Europractice representative.
• Licences are for teaching or training purposes only.  If it is the intention to carry out commercial contracts, a different arrangement applies.  Please email EUROPRACTICE for details.
• Under the conditions of the EUROPRACTICE Agreement, to which the University of Cambridge is a signatory, users are not allowed to contact original package suppliers (e.g. Cadence, Xilinx) directly for support.  Instead, all enquiries should be addressed to EUROPRACTICE Software Support Service (email link), who can often provide direct support.  Where there is a need to obtain patches to fix specific bugs, EUROPRACTICE_SSS will make the necessary approach to the original supplier.
• There is no training or technical support available within CUED for these packages, although as active users of some of them we will do our best to assist new users.   It is up to the individual group or department to ensure that it has the necessary computing infrastructure and local technical support for any packages to be used.
• EuroTraining (an initiative within EUROPRACTICE) and DRAL run a number of training courses, some at subsidised rates, in the use of these packages.  If you are contemplating using a Europractice package for time-critical design work, you are strongly recommended to consider whether appropriate training may be  worthwhile.  See: How to acquire a software package .. for further information

Registering a design for fabrication via the EUROPRACTICE foundry service

EUROPRACTICE offers various routes to fabrication at concessionary rates for use in the University for teaching and research.  If you are interested in submitting a design for fabrication, you will need to make use of the EUROPRACTICE Design Registration service.  This is administered by IMEC in Belgium, but is largely web-based.

• EUROPRACTICE Design Registration Service

Please note the following:

• A user ID and password are required to access the system.  This can be obtained from the University Europractice Representative.
• There is a 'trial' submission procedure that allows you to walk-through the process without registering any design.  This is strongly recommended, since you will need to gather together a range of information regarding your design submission, which may lead to difficulties during the submission itself if the data is incomplete.
• For packaged designs you will need to prepare a bonding diagram which is specific to your design and to the package chosen.
• Once logged in, you can look over previous submissions which may give hints about the answers required to certain questions in the dialogues.
• For technical contact, please be sure to quote your own email details.   This makes it clear you are submitting the design on your responsibility. The Europractice Representative is not normally able to deal with technical queries about design submission.
• Once the system has presented you with a 'quotation', being the anticipated costs for fabrication, packaging etc, you are responsible for arranging for the transmission by FAX to IMEC of a signed confirmation sheet.  You must also generate a University Purchase Order on a contract over which you have control to cover these costs. Although a PO seems to be optional (as far as EUROPRACTICE is concerned), it is mandatory under our Departmental rules (and probably this applies throughout the University).  Fabrication may well be delayed or even refused if this is not done.
• You will need to set up a local FTP facility since the required method for transfer is for Europractice to pick up submitted designs by logging in to the sender's own FTP site.

Good luck with your submission.

Existing users in Cambridge

A range of packages and services are in use or have been in use in several University departments.

Note that email addresses denoted as: (CRSid) must have: @cam.ac.uk appended.

Europractice Invoices

Europractice issues annual invoices which cover 'bundled' fees charged in advance for maintenance of the software suites in use in the University.  These are normally sent out in late July to cover the following academic year, 1 October to 30th September.  The invoice is settled by means of a single payment remitted by the Engineering Department Finance Office.  The invoice must be settled in early September to maintain continuity of service.  New licences will not be issued by Europractice until payment has been received.  

On receipt of the invoice, there is an opportunity for us to inform Europractice of any tools we wish to discontinue under the scheme; however, this is a limited-time opportunity. If informed promptly of any tools being discontinued, Europractice will amend the invoice where appropriate. But it is not possible to ask for this to be done retrospectively. From about the middle of August no further amendments to the invoice will be actioned by Europractice.

As there is no central funding to meet these costs, the principle operated is that departments and groups contribute towards the costs of those packages they use. 

The following invoices have been captured.  They are visible only to browsers on .cam.ac.uk.

Format	Year / Itemised invoice	Status / Settled invoice
	2006-7	Settled
	2007-8	Settled
	2008-9	Settled
	2009-10	Settled
	2010-11	Settled
	2011-12	Settled
	2012-13	Settled
	2013-14	Settled
	2014-15	Settled
	2015-16	Settled
	2016-17	2016-17 A  B
	2017-18	Settled 2017-18
	2018-19	2018-19
	2019-20	Settled, recovery
	2020-21

Europractice Resources

Cadence 

Note: Certain items are accessible only in .cam.ac.uk

0  Licence keys and other resources are now distributed by email - December 2009
1   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2007-8 Release - Licence Keys for 2008 (rec 19 Dec 2007)
2   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2007-8 Release - Install files and Licence Keys for 2007 (received c. 15 Nov 2007) 
2   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2007-8 Release - Deliverables (received c. 15 Oct 2007)

4   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2006-7 Release - Install files and Licence Keys (received c. 15th January 2007
5   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2006-7 Release - Deliverables (received c. 15 January 2007) 
6   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2005 Release - Renewed Licence Key Files (received January 2007)  

7   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2005 Release - Install files and temporary Licence Keys (received 15-25 October 2005) 
8   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2005 Release - Deliverables (received 20 October 2005) 
8   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2004/5 Release - Renewed Licence Key Files (received January 2006)  

10 EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2004/5 Release - Install files (received 20-21 October 2004) (these are temporarily unavailable)
11 EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2004/5 Release - Deliverables (received 10 October 2004) 
12 EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2004/5 Release - Licence Key Files (received 20 December 2004)

13  EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2003/4 Release - Deliverables (received 9 September 2003) 
14  EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2003/4 Release - Install and Key Files (received 8 September 2003) 
15  EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2003/4 Release - Licence Key Files (received 12 July 2004) 

16   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 Release - Deliverables  
17   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 Install and Key Files     (received 9-13 Sept 2002)
18   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 Release - updated Assura 2.0 CDs 

19   Europractice/Cadence Release for the Academic Year 2001/2002 - deliverables
20   Europractice/Cadence Release for Academic Year 2001/2002 - Licence Keys and Install Files
21   Europractice/Cadence Release for the 1999/2000 Academic Year - deliverables
22   Europractice/Cadence Y2K Release for 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 - deliverables and updated install scripts  

Cadence Licence Keys 

0  Licence keys and other resources are now distributed by email - December 2009
1  Licence keys and original install scripts are published here
2  Licence keys renewed up to December 31st 2001
3  Licence keys renewed up to December 31st 2002 and Install Files 
4  Licence keys renewed up to December 31st 2003 
5  Licence keys for A35780_832b7453 up to December 31st 2003  
6  Licence keys for 2003 Release renewed up to December 31st 2003 and Install Files
7  Licence keys for 2002 and 2003/4 Release renewed up to December 31st 2004 
8  Licence keys for 2002, 2003 and 2004 Releases renewed up to December 31st 2005 

Cadence - SOC/Nanometer software 

0  Licence keys and other resources are now distributed by email - December 2009
1   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 SOC/NANOMETER Update - deliverables  
2   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 Install File for the SOC/Nanometer Software  (received 18 Feb 2003)  
3   EUROPRACTICE/Cadence 2002 Key Files for the SOC/Nanometer Software   (received 18 Feb 2003)  

Mentor

0   Licence keys are now distributed by email - December 2009
1   Licence keys renewed to December 31st 2008 (covering message & attached licence plaintext) (rec 20 Dec 2007)
2   EUROPRACTICE/Mentor 2007 Upgrade - physical  deliverables (received 1 Dec 2007)  
3   Note on use of ICextract  (cam only)   on 2/02/06
4   Licence keys renewed to December 31st 2006 (licence plaintext and covering message) (received Jan 2006)
5   Access to Mentor Graphics SupportNet via Europractice - Example Signup Script (cam only) 
6   EUROPRACTICE/Mentor EN2004 - physical AND electronic deliverables (received 18 Feb/16 Mar 2005)  
7   EUROPRACTICE/Mentor EN2002sp3 - deliverables and installation guide   (received 12 Feb 2004) 
8   EUROPRACTICE/Mentor EN2002 - deliverables  

MPW Service

1    Announcement from Europractice - New Prototyping Price List from 1 September 2005  
2    Announcement from Europractice - austriamicrosystems 0.6 micron CMOS MPW discontinued (details at Europractice Online) 
3    EUROPRACTICE ASIC prototyping page - MPW Schedule 2005 and Price List  
4   New Alcatel Mietec mixed A/D 0.75 CMOS process: I2T (Intelligent Interface Technology) includes 100V DMOS

Further announcements and bulletins are now carried on the Europractice-info Mailing List

Synopsys

0  Licence keys and other resources are now available by direct download - December 2009
1  EUROPRACTICE Synopsys Software Upgrade 2004 (received 3rd November 2004)
2  Announcement from Europractice - Enhancements to the Synopsys portfolio 20 Oct 2004 (pdf file: obtain viewer) 

Xilinx

Note: Certain items are accessible only in .cam.ac.uk

1  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Versions are now managed on Xilinx web site
2  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Version 9.2i (received 15th July 2007)
3  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Version 8.1i (received 19th June 2006)
4  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Version 7.1i (received 21st March 2005)
5  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Version 6.2i  
6  Xilinx Foundation ISE Software Update Version 6.1i  
7  Requesting a Xilinx Student Edition sample copy
8  Xilinx University Program at World Cup games
9  XUP Workshop Invitation - Europe: Dublin, IRELAND on January 20-23 1999
10   FREE Xilinx University Program Workshops
11  Important Xilinx Univ. Program Announcements - May 1998

Altera

Note: Certain items are accessible only in .cam.ac.uk

1  Altera Quartus II 6.00 Update (received 8th Dec 2006)

Tanner Tools 

Note: Certain items are accessible only in .cam.ac.uk

0  Tanner Tools is now part of the Mentor Graphics suite.  Resources are now distributed by email and direct download - December 2009
1  TANNER TOOLS PRO V8.1 PRE-RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT (12 January 2000)
2  Licence key - self-extracting PC executable 

Europractice Courses

0  Further announcements and bulletins are now carried on the Europractice-info Mailing List
1  Course announcements from EuroTraining (htm)  on 22 July 05

IMEC

0  Further announcements and bulletins are now carried on the Europractice-info Mailing List
4   Education in analog design
5   NEW 0.25um CMOS technology in EUROPRACTICE  
6   Withdrawal of AMI Semiconductor HBIMOS & HBIMOS-F technology (Microsoft Word Document).

Obtaining Designer's Kits

Libraries, technology files and documentation for most of Europractice's foundry services are shipped in encrypted form on CD to the University coordinator. Note: if you don't use Europractice manufacturing or foundry services, you probably do not need this data.  The CD can be loaned on a short-term basis to designers who need to extract data from it. 

Before you can access the information on this CD you need to apply for a license file normally obtainable from the suppliers, IMEC.  You will need to arrange for an Non-Disclosure / End-User Agreement to be signed in respect of any product for which you are seeking a licence.  This expresses terms for the allowed use of the the data in terms of maintaining confidentiality, and purpose - use for commercial purposes is normally prohibited.  You will also have to provide the host ID of the system to be used to decrypt the DK products.  It is now recommended that such ND / EUAs should not be completed by an individual, but should be scrutinised and signed by RSD's Legal Department at the Old Schools.  Engineering Department applicants should contact the Direct of Research, Mr Philip Guildford, in the first instance, for guidance.  Members of other Departments are recommended to consult a senior University Officer - for example the Head of Department, Secretary of Department, etc.

In some instances, the EUA may already be on file and the decryption key may already be available.  The Europractice representative may be able to inform you of such instances: however, the terms of the EUA will still apply in full.  You should be sure to inform yourself of these.  You may need to bear in mind that the key may only allow decryption on one named computer.  

Once decrypted, the files can be copied to the target CAD workstation.  Please note that the machine on which decryption is carried out need not necessarily be the same machine as used for CAD.  If the target is a PC it may be necessary to do the decryption elsewhere.  To ensure continuity of updates it is desirable to quote the host ID of a machine expected to be available on a long-term basis for decryption.

Note: Engineering Department applicants should consult the Computer Officer team who will advise on the host ID to be quoted so the decryption can be carried out centrally.

• Local information and decryption keys for the Design Kit Libraries (accessible in .cam.ac.uk only)