CDC / RDC · All levels

RDC Structural Checks: Review Checklist

Review Checklist for RDC Structural Checks.

Review checklist

Review Checklist for RDC Structural Checks focuses on unsafe reset crossing count, unresolved RDC warnings, waiver backlog. 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: RDC owner, RTL owner, methodology lead.

Signoff ownership

diagram
OWNERSHIP MAP — RDC Structural Checks

artifact                  owner
----------------------    -------------------------
design intent           RDC owner
verification evidence   RTL owner
signoff decision        methodology lead

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

CDC/RDC deep dive

Reset release ordering is a first-order reliability contract.

Concept diagram

diagram
RESET RELEASE FLOW

assert global -> clocks stable -> sync release per domain -> first transaction

Metric graph

diagram
BOOT STABILITY

passes per 1k boots: 920 -> 980 -> 999

Reports and artifacts

  • reset dependency matrix

  • RDC warning classes

  • boot stress logs

  • waiver aging

Mini case study

Domain B released before producer A was valid, causing rare startup deadlock.

Debug branches

  • Correlate reset and clock timelines

  • verify async assert/sync release

  • exercise skewed release tests

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

RDC tools detect reset-origin and release-domain mismatches; violations must be triaged by intent, not mechanically waived.

Metric: unsafe reset crossing count, unresolved RDC warnings, waiver backlog