The Xilinx Programmable Logic Training Courses

Who Should Attend a Training Course?

All users of Xilinx products should attend one of our training courses. Attending a Xilinx training course is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to learn how to design with FPGA devices from Xilinx. Hands-on expert instruction with the latest information and software will allow you to implement your own designs in less time with more effective use of the devices.

Classes are held regularly in centers around the world and can even be brought to your own facility.

Not only design engineers, but also test engineers, component engineers, CAD engineers, technicians, and engineering managers may want to attend the course in order to understand the Xilinx products.

What You Will Learn

Not only will you learn about our products, but we will also recommend the best ways to use the software based on our years of experience with thousands of designs. You will learn how to efficiently enter, implement, and verify your design. You can use the Xilinx automatic mode or take a power-user approach and guide the automatic tools to the best implementation of your design.

Prerequisites

Students need only have a background in digital logic design. Basic familiarity with the PC or workstation is helpful but not required. It will benefit you to learn your design entry tool of choice before attending the Xilinx course.

If you would like to prepare for the training course to maximize your learning, you should complete the tutorials available in the development system. There are tutorials available for the third-party tools for which Xilinx sells the interface.

Benefits

Make Fewer Design Iterations
By learning the proper approach, you will save time and expense in prototyping and debugging designs. However, if you do need to make changes to your design, you will learn how to do this quickly and efficiently.

Get to Market Faster
Getting your product to market faster is probably one of the key reasons you are using Xilinx products in the first place. Studies have shown that time-to-market often has a greater effect on profits than development costs. Training will allow you to get your product to market on schedule, allowing your company to reap the rewards that follow.

Start or Complete Your Design During the Training Course
Bring your design to the courses at Xilinx headquarters and consult with the instructor. Class size is limited to encourage interaction. You can spend extra time getting your design completed before you return home. Call to see if your design entry tool will be available at the class.

Reduce Your Learning Time
Extensive Xilinx documentation and tutorials provide the information you need to complete your design. But attending the training course for focused, interactive learning is faster than a question-and-answer approach on your own. Instead of interruptions and piecemeal self-education, you will quickly become your company's expert in Xilinx designs.

Lower Production Costs
By learning how to use the device effectively, you may be able to get more logic into a smaller device, and/or operate at a higher speed. As a result, you may be able to save on the cost of the device itself and the surrounding logic on your board.

Increase Quality
Effective verification techniques will prove the quality of your Xilinx-based design. Higher quality leads to less maintenance and repair costs, and improved customer satisfaction.

Time and Cost Savings

Attending a Xilinx training course is an investment that will pay for itself with the first Xilinx design that you begin. The courses are fast-paced, each providing as much information as possible in the short time available. Hands-on experiences throughout the courses make sure that the information is retained and applied to practical applications. Just as Xilinx products reduce your development time, attending a training course can reduce your design time. The person attending the course will be an in-house expert who can be utilized by other members of your company.

You can reduce your travel costs by attending a class scheduled in your area or having the course brought right to your facility. The tuition pays for the course notes and expert, in-person instruction, which can be priceless when trying to meet a schedule.

Course Descriptions

Hands-On Experience

Each course includes hands-on labs. There is at least one computer for every two people in the class.

Platforms

The courses use PC platforms with either WIN95 or NT operating systems.

Instructors

Xilinx training courses have been successfully held worldwide for over eight years. The instructors are Xilinx experts who are skilled at passing that knowledge on to fellow engineers. A dedicated Education organization at Xilinx works closely with the Applications and Engineering groups to keep the courses up-to-date with the latest improvements to Xilinx and third-party tools.

Course Materials

All course materials are supplied by Xilinx. Every student gets an excellent reference tool in the form of course notes, which include all the material presented during the course. The course notes are bound for easy use and include additional reference material beyond what is covered in the course.

Product Coverage

Xilinx courses will cover the latest released versions of our devices and development systems. While all available products will be covered, emphasis will be placed on the more popular and/or recommended solutions. New products are added to the courses as they become available. If you have any questions on coverage of a particular product, please call the Xilinx Customer Education department.

Xilinx Courses

	Course Title	Course Length
	FPGA Tools	2 days
	Foundation Interface	1 day
	Foundation Express	1 day
	CPLD Solutions	1 day
	VHDL Methodology	3 days
	Verilog Methodology	3 days
	VHDL (Esperan-based)	1 day

FPGA Tools Course

This Xilinx training course is two days in length. It is designed to be an introduction to the Xilinx products and tools for those customers who have little or no experience with the Xilinx environment. All North American training sites and most international locations teach this same course. The FPGA Tools course is heavily focused on the labs, which feature Xilinx’ Foundation Software.

FPGA Tools Course Outline

The following topics will be discussed during the Tools course:

Day 1
Course Introduction
Basic FPGA Architecture
Design Entry
LogiBLOX Core Generator and Alliance Cores
Design Manager and Flow Engine
Report Browser
Basic Constraints
Timing Analyzer
On-line Documentation
Day 2
Design Optimization
Advanced Timing Analyzer Techniques
Advanced Timing Constraints
Advanced Optimization Features
Introduction to Floorplanner
Introduction to EPIC

Foundation Interface Course

The one-day Foundation Schematic-Entry course will provide customers with the knowledge to fully utilize the tools capabilities. The tool contains a schematic editor, HDL editor, state editor, and a simulator that are tightly integrated with the Alliance M1 software. The course is heavily focused on the labs. Each lab individually addresses a specific piece of the tool and its use in effectively designing an FPGA.

Foundation Interface Course Outline

The one-day Foundation course addresses the following topics:

Foundation Introduction
Basic FPGA Architecture
Project Library
Xilinx Unified Library and Components
Project Manager
UCF file
Schematic Editor
Entering symbols, wires, buses, and pins
LogiBLOX
Module Types and Features
HDL Editor
Design Wizard and Language Assistant
State Editor
State Machine design entry
HDL code generation
Simulator
Inserting Nodes and Assigning Stimulus
Advanced Simulator Usage
Chip Controlled Mode
Breakpoints and Tags
Lab Exercises:
     Creation of a New Project
     Creating a Schematic
     Creation of a Macrofunction
     Adding Hierarchy
     Using the LogiBLOX GUI
     Generating a VHDL Macrofunction
     Adding a State Machine
     Functional Simulation
     Creating Formulas
     Using Breakpoints

Foundation Express Course

The one-day Foundation Express course focuses on basic Foundation Express design flow as well as HDL coding styles. The course, which is completely bilingual (VHDL and Verilog), employs several labs. Customers should have basic understanding of VHDL or Verilog before attending this course. Push-button use of Design Manager will be covered. Xilinx reccommends that you attend the FPGA Tools or the Foundation Interface course before the Foundation Express course.

Foundation Express Course Outline

The agenda for the Foundation Express course is as follows:

Methodology
Basic description of Express and Terminology
        How to synthesize a VHDL or Verilog design
        Use of timing Constraints
        How to use Xilinx Features, such as
        Pin locking, slew rate, global reset, and clock buffers
Xilinx Design Manager
        Starting with the synthesized netlist, learn how to implement
        the design in an FPGA

Design Entry
Instantiation
        Black Box Instantiation
        When to instantiate cells
        How to use Logiblox

CPLD Solutions Course

The CPLD Solutions course, which covers the Xilinx CPLD device offerings and CPLD Implementation tools, is intended for those customers who have little or no experience with Xilinx CPLD solutions. The one-day course focuses on practical lab experience to improve design performance or device utilization. Contact your local sales office or distributor to inquire about setting up a class.

CPLD Solutions Course Outline

The following topics will be discussed during the CPLD Solutions course:

Course Introduction
CPLD Architecture
CPLD Design Manager
Fitting Report and the Timing Analyzer
Implementation Options
Optimizing for Speed and Density
Programming the XC9500
Lab Exercises:
     Using the Fitting Report
     Choosing Feedback Options
     Density Optimization

FPGA Synthesis Methodology Workshops

These comprehensive courses are an effective introduction to the VHDL and Verilog languages with particular emphasis on targeting Xilinx and FPGA devices in general. The information gained here can be applied to any digital design using a Top-Down synthesis design approach. These courses are a combination of insightful lecture, coupled with practical and interesting lab exercises to reinforce the key concepts.

They are a great way to quickly gain proficiency in one of today’s fastest growing hardware design techniques

VHDL Methodology Course Outline

The following topics will be discussed during the VHDL Methodology course:

Day 1
Introduction to VHDL & Hardware Modeling
Language Concepts
Signals & Datatypes
Operators / Expressions
Concurrent & Sequential Statements
Lab Exercises:
    Write Entities
    Build Hierarchical Structures with Instantiation
Day 2
Advanced Process Statements
Behavioral to RTL
VHDL Timing Models
Targeting Xilinx
Lab Exercises:
    Write Code for 4 State State-Machine
    Build One Hot Encoded State Machine
Day 3
Introduction to the VHDL Testbench
Functions / Procedures
Xilinx Synthesis Tools
Lab Exercises:
    Build Testbench for Module Verification
    Download & In-circuit Verification of Synthesized Design

Verilog Methodology Workshop Outline

The Verilog Methodology workshop includes the following topics:

Day 1
Verilog HDL Introduction
Hardware Modeling Overview
Language Concepts
Verilog Modules & Ports
Gate Level Modeling
Operators & Expressions
Lab Exercises:
     Write Basic Modules
     Write Gate Level Model
     Build Hierarchical Structures with Instantiation
Day 2
Data-Flow Modeling
Behavioral Modeling
Advanced Process Statements
Verilog Timing Models
Targeting Xilinx
Lab Exercises:
     Write Behavioral Model
     Write & Compile 4 State-Machine
Day 3
Introduction to the Verilog Testbench
Tasks & Functions
Xilinx Synthesis Tools
Lab Exercises:
     Build Complex Address Decoder
     Download & In-circuit Verification of Synthesized Design

VHDL Seminar (Esperan-Based)

This one-day seminar consists of one half-day of presentation and one half-day of hands-on training using the Foundation tools. The seminar is designed to be an introduction, providing the students with enough training so that they are conversant with the language and can write simple VHDL functions. This course is presented on an as needed basis. Please contact your local Xilinx or distributor sales office for additional course and scheduling information.

VHDL Seminar Outline

The one-day VHDL seminar includes the following topics:

VHDL Application Introduction
VHDL Language Introduction
Signals and Data Types
VHDL Operators
Concurrent and Sequential Statements
Writing VHDL for Synthesis
Lab Exercises:
    Familiarization with Xilinx Foundation Series Synthesis Tool
    Familiarization with the Decoder Design
    Writing Your First VHDL Code
    Adding the Alarm Signal
    Adding a Seven Segment Display Driver
    The Alarm Register
    A Counter
    The Alarm Clock Controller (a State Machine)

Training Locations

Domestic and International Locations

Xilinx courses are held not only in North America but also throughout Europe, Asia, India, Israel, Australia, South Africa, and South America. The classes that are held in international locations vary in length and tuition but are based on the same material used in North America. The schedule lists the courses as well as the contact’s name and phone number.

During the classes at the Xilinx headquarters in San Jose, CA, you may elect to meet one-on-one with Xilinx Applications engineers to discuss specific issues not covered in the course. Topics may include using a specific third-party tool, optimizing your particular design, or more advanced issues beyond the coverage of the course.

Distributor Educational Services

In addition to the Xilinx Education Schedule for North America, each authorized distributor may offer a variety of education and training services. To get more information concerning their services, please contact your local distributor office or visit their web site.

On-Site Courses

Xilinx can bring the training course to your own facility for the greatest convenience to your company.
On-Site Courses Provide Additional Benefits:

No Travel Costs
On-site Xilinx training courses eliminate travel time and expenses:
- No airfare
- No hotel bills
- No car rental
Courses Tailored To Your Needs
On-site courses can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your company:
- Convenient class time and location
- Projects of a proprietary nature can be discussed openly
- Students can use their own equipment and begin an actual design during the course
Costs: North America
- Prices start at $5,000 for a minimum class size of six students.
(Prices are subject to change without notice.)
Costs: International
- Prices vary; contact your local Xilinx sales representative.
Included in course fees:
- A Xilinx-certified instructor
- Training materials for each student
- A PC system for every two students (or if you prefer, the training labs can be performed on your PCs)

Scheduling an On-site Course

To schedule a training class at your facility and determine pricing, call the Xilinx sales office nearest you, or your local Xilinx sales representative. On-site training courses are popular, so the more advanced notice we have, the better our ability to schedule your class exactly when you want it.

Registration

Tuition

Course/Tuition Table

Course Location	Tuition	Length	Benefits
North America:
FPGA Tools	$595	2 days	- Basic implementation of Xilinx products
Foundation Interface	$195	1 day	- A complete design-entry flow
Foundation Express	$195	1 day	- Tool usage with VHDL or Verilog design examples
CPLD Solutions	$195	1 day	- Basic implementation of XC9500 CPLDs
VHDL Methodology	$695	3 days	- Introduction/Intermediate IEEE 1076
			- VHDL Targeting FPGA and simulation
Verilog Methodology	$695	3 days	- Introduction/Intermediate IEEE 1369
			- Verilog targeting FPGA and simulation
Xilinx Sales Office Locations
VHDL Seminar	$99	1 day	- One-day introduction to VHDL
On-Site Locations	Starts at $5,000	Varies	- Convenience
			- Focus on specific issues
International:
Multiple Locations	Varies	Varies	- Offered in over 21 countries
			- Native language
On-Site Locations	Varies	Varies	- Convenience
			- Can focus on specific issues

(Prices and class schedules are subject to change without notice. Prices listed are in U.S. dollars)

Money-back Guarantee

We are so confident you will be satisfied with the benefits of a Xilinx training course that we offer the following guarantee:

- Full refund of the course cost if you are not completely satisfied.

Enrollment

Class size is limited, so early enrollment is recommended. In order to register for a class, please follow the steps listed below:

1) Purchase: Contact your local distributor to purchase a seat in the class.
2) Enroll: Your distributor is responsible for contacting the education registrar to enroll you in the class. (At any time you can contact the registrar at 877-XLX-CLASS to confirm your enrollment.)
3) Confirmation: Following enrollment in a class, Xilinx and the registrar will send you confirmation letters.
4) Final Confirmation: One week prior to the class, you will receive a confirmation letter via e-mail from the registrar. Please call (877) XLX-CLASS if you have any questions or do not receive a confirmation letter.

If you are unsatisfied or have further questions, call (877) XLX-CLASS (toll-free) and select the option to speak with the Xilinx Customer Education Department.

Cancellations

Please see your distributor regarding their cancellation policy.