Handshake Protocols Across Domains: Review Checklist

Review checklist

Review Checklist for Handshake Protocols Across Domains focuses on req/ack completion reliability, deadlock risk, backpressure behavior. The goal is to convert issue observations into mechanism-backed closure decisions.

• Crossing and reset intent are explicitly classified.

• Protocol assumptions are documented and checked.

• Critical issues have owners and dates.

• Waivers include mechanism, containment, and expiry.

• Regression matrix includes stress and milestone modes.

• Owners signed: RTL owner, verification owner, CDC owner.

Signoff ownership

OWNERSHIP MAP — Handshake Protocols Across Domains

artifact                  owner
----------------------    -------------------------
design intent           RTL owner
verification evidence   verification owner
signoff decision        CDC owner

Every open CDC/RDC issue needs one accountable owner before waiver or fix.

CDC/RDC deep dive

Protocol correctness is the bridge between structural clean and functional safe.

Concept diagram

PROTOCOL FLOW

intent -> transport protocol -> synchronization -> destination acceptance

Metric graph

PROTOCOL ISSUE BURNDOWN

open issues: 20 -> 11 -> 5 -> 0

Reports and artifacts

• FIFO pointer proofs

• req/ack liveness

• pulse miss checks

• protocol assertions

Mini case study

Async FIFO empty/full logic looked correct until gray decode mismatch appeared during reset overlap.

Debug branches

• Pointer sync audit

• formal liveness checks

• reset interaction review

Senior review question

Ask: what evidence proves this risk is closed for silicon, not just tool-clean?

Key takeaways

• State crossing class, assumptions, and owner with every issue.

• Run structural and dynamic regressions after each fix.

Common pitfalls

• Treating all warnings as equivalent risk.

• Waiving issues without containment evidence.

• Skipping reset and reconvergence stress after CDC fixes.

Principal CDC/RDC review addendum

Two-way handshakes guarantee delivery across asynchronous clocks when both request and acknowledge paths are synchronized and protocol invariants are enforced.

Metric: req/ack completion reliability, deadlock risk, backpressure behavior