Modern Data Management: Overcoming Bottlenecks in Semiconductor Engineering

In a DACtv session on July 9, 2025, Pedro Pires from Keysight EDA addressed the critical role of data management in modern semiconductor engineering projects. The presentation highlighted why data has become a bottleneck, how Keysight’s SOS (Save Our Source) platform mitigates these challenges, and best practices for optimizing design workflows, emphasizing practical solutions through case studies and actionable insights.

Semiconductor projects are growing increasingly complex, with larger file sizes, diverse technologies, and intricate methodologies requiring seamless coordination across geographically dispersed teams. This complexity creates significant data management challenges, including collaboration at scale, standardization across tools, and maintaining data traceability. According to a Keysight survey, up to 63% of engineering productivity is lost due to manual data handling and siloed information. Engineers spend 30-40% of their time searching for data, often finding incorrect or outdated information, and an additional 20% fixing errors caused by using the wrong data. For a team of 10 engineers with a fully burdened cost of $285,000 per engineer, this inefficiency translates to approximately $1.8 million in annual losses.

The proliferation of complex toolchains exacerbates these issues. Over two-thirds of engineers use six or more software tools, leading to increased manual labor and data correlation challenges across different formats. Data sharing often relies on ad-hoc methods, such as custom scripts, spreadsheets (used by 74% of surveyed engineers), paper notes, and emails (72%), which are inefficient and error-prone. These practices also compromise data security, a top concern for over 50% of industry executives, especially given that one in four global cyberattacks targets manufacturing companies, with an average cost of $5 million per breach.

Keysight’s SOS platform addresses these challenges by providing a robust design data management (DDM) solution tailored for integrated circuit (IC) design. Unlike traditional software configuration tools like Git, optimized for small text files, SOS is designed to handle large IC design files, such as GDS and simulation waveforms, with efficient storage and seamless scalability. It integrates with major EDA tools, ensuring smooth data flow across workflows, and connects with enterprise systems like ERP and PLM for end-to-end traceability. SOS supports compliance with standards like ISO 26262, critical for safety-critical industries, by maintaining auditable trails for design decisions and revisions.

Case studies demonstrate SOS’s impact. For instance, a leading semiconductor company used SOS to streamline multi-site collaboration, reducing data retrieval time by 40% and improving design iteration cycles. Another case involved an SoC project where SOS’s version control and reference management enabled reuse of IP across projects, cutting development time by 25%. These examples highlight SOS’s ability to enhance collaboration, reduce errors, and accelerate time-to-market.

Pius outlined several best practices for effective data management. First, ensure data security through role-based access controls, encryption, and governance automation. SOS allows automated script execution for tasks like link checks, reducing manual effort and ensuring consistency. Second, maintain a clean project structure by modularizing data and using lightweight references for components not actively edited, optimizing performance. Third, define methodologies upfront, including milestones and tagging strategies, to avoid confusion from excessive branches or tags. For heterogeneous tool environments, SOS’s plug-in layer integrates with third-party systems like Git, allowing digital and analog teams to work cohesively. Finally, leverage AI-ready features, such as SOS’s metadata labeling and lineage tracking, to build high-performance MLOps pipelines for future scalability.

In conclusion, poor data management is a liability that hinders semiconductor engineering efficiency. By adopting SOS and following best practices, teams can transform data into an asset, enhancing collaboration, security, and productivity. Pius encouraged attendees to visit Keysight’s booth to explore tailored solutions, emphasizing that addressing data challenges is critical for staying competitive in the evolving semiconductor landscape.

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