Enhancing EDA performance: Why intelligent data infrastructure matters now

Designing chips isn’t getting any easier. Timelines are tighter, tools are more complex, and every delay costs real money. If you’re using Synopsys flows, you already know the pressure. The work doesn’t slow down, and your infrastructure can’t either.

But here’s the problem that no one wants to admit: Most storage systems weren’t built for the demanding requirements of modern chip design workflows. Not for millions of tiny files. Not for hundreds of jobs that are running in parallel. And definitely not for the hybrid, cloud-meets-on-premises world that most design teams are working in today.

That’s where NetApp intelligent data infrastructure comes in. It's not just a better way to handle your data. It’s the only way to keep pace with modern chip design.

In most electronic design automation (EDA) environments, the bottleneck isn’t where people expect it to be. It’s not the CPU count or the RAM. It’s I/O contention. It’s the millions of small files that are hammering the file system during regression tests. It’s the waveform data that doesn’t load fast enough. It’s the toolchain that slows to a crawl because storage can’t keep up with the concurrency.

The issue isn’t just about raw speed. It’s about delivering consistent, predictable performance for critical EDA tasks while maintaining control that scales across your teams, tools, and project timelines.

Intelligent data infrastructure for EDA doesn’t mean just faster disks. It’s about having a unified approach to how data moves, performs, and lives across your design lifecycle. NetApp intelligent data infrastructure includes several solutions that work together to unify your data management.  

Performance where it counts 

NetApp AFF A-Series systems are built for the brutal I/O patterns of EDA. They deliver not just high throughput, but also predictable low latency under stress. Whether you're running synthesis, layout versus schematic (LVS) checks, or massive parallel simulations, AFF A-Series systems hold up. That means fewer job restarts, faster regression cycles, and higher utilization of your compute farm. 

Archiving that thinks ahead 

The NetApp StorageGRID^® object-based storage solution brings intelligence to your archive layer. It's not just a dumping ground. It’s a policy-driven, object-based solution that helps you retain critical intellectual property, simulation result, and compliance data, without letting it clutter or slow down your primary environment. 

You get low-cost, durable storage that still plays nicely with your file workflows. And you can set it to run in the background, tiering off data you don’t need today but can’t afford to lose. 

Cloud that matches your workflow 

Design teams are no longer choosing between on premises or cloud. They’re using both—sometimes in the same project. 

NetApp intelligent data infrastructure makes that hybrid model practical, with any cloud storage you choose: 

• Azure NetApp Files delivers optimal performance for EDA right inside Azure, no replatforming needed.

• Amazon FSx for NetApp ONTAP lets you move workloads to AWS with full NetApp ONTAP^® features and cloud-native scale.

• Google Cloud NetApp Volumes gives you managed, high-performance storage in Google Cloud that feels like your own data center.

You can replicate, create NetApp Snapshot copies of, restore, and tier data between any storage environment by using the same tools and interfaces. No forklift moves. No new skillsets required.

Control without the headaches

The NetApp BlueXP^™ unified control plane ties it all together. It's your single control plane across your local and cloud environments. Whether you're supporting one design team or several global sites, BlueXP gives you visibility, automation, and policy-based governance from one dashboard.

It's infrastructure that disappears into the background, until you need to shift, to scale, or to respond to something unexpected.

You don’t need more hardware. You need NetApp intelligent data infrastructure.

In chip design, every slowdown ripples. One delayed regression can stall integration. One I/O-bound job can throw off schedules. They aren't just technical issues. They're business risks.

The question isn’t just whether your storage is fast enough. It’s whether your data infrastructure is intelligent enough to keep pace with how modern EDA works.

NetApp intelligent data infrastructure isn’t about replacing what you have. It’s about extending it—making it flexible, cloud-ready, and built for the demands of today’s design flows.

If your teams are spending more time managing files than running jobs, or if your timelines are getting squeezed by infrastructure limits, it’s time to rethink what’s underneath it all.

Curious about how your EDA stack can evolve?
See how semiconductor leaders are using NetApp intelligent data infrastructure to build faster, more efficient design environments.

And to start improving your own EDA workflows, learn more about how industry-leading NetApp solutions can help you build intelligent data infrastructure.