Exar Selects Cadence as Mixed-Signal EDA Provider

Breadth and Quality of Product Portfolio Key Drivers of Broadened Agreement

SAN JOSE, Calif., Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS), the leader in global design innovation, announced today that Exar Corporation (NASDAQ: EXAR) has signed an expanded business agreement to establish Cadence® as its leading chip planning and mixed-signal design solutions provider. As a result of the new multi-year agreement, the Cadence Virtuoso® and Encounter® platforms, as well as the Cadence Chip Planning Solution, will make up Exar’s key mixed-signal design environment for designs at 65 nanometers and below.

“We have a longstanding relationship with Cadence as they have consistently provided the technology required for our project needs,” said George Apostol, senior vice president and CTO, Exar Corporation. “We also believe that they have the technology leadership and outstanding technical support that is vital to helping us deliver highly differentiated silicon solutions to our customers. Cadence tools, especially for mixed-signal designs, are ideal for our forthcoming data communications, storage, interface and power-management products.”

With the new agreement, Exar has chosen the Cadence Virtuoso platform for its analog and custom design and implementation technology. Additionally, the company will use Cadence Multi-mode Simulation technology for RF, FastSpice, and mixed-signal simulations. Exar will use the Cadence Encounter Digital Implementation System for digital design prototyping and floorplanning. And lastly, Exar has adopted the Cadence Chip Planning Solution as the standard for its IC conceptualization, analysis, and planning activities across the organization.

“Companies like Exar succeed through their ability to create highly differentiated designs, and are justifiably selective when it comes to the partners with whom they entrust their design flows,” said Steve Carlson, vice president of marketing at Cadence. “Cadence welcomes the opportunity for a long-term relationship with Exar, and we look forward to helping them further distinguish their products through technical innovation and rapid market introduction.”

About Cadence
Cadence enables global electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today’s integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software and hardware, methodologies, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.

About Exar
Exar Corporation delivers highly differentiated silicon, software and subsystem solutions for industrial, datacom and storage applications. For nearly 40 years, Exar’s comprehensive knowledge of end-user markets along with the underlying analog, mixed signal and digital technology has enabled innovative solutions that meet the needs of the evolving connected world. Exar’s product portfolio includes power management and interface components, communications products, storage optimization solutions, network security and applied service processors. Exar has locations worldwide providing real-time customer support to drive rapid product development. For more information about Exar, visit: www.exar.com.