Synopsys Announces Support for Advanced Switching Technology

Synopsys to Participate in Advanced Switching Interconnect Special Interest Group

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., October 1, 2003 - Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), the world leader in semiconductor design software, today announced its support for efforts to drive industry-wide adoption of the Advanced Switching (AS) Interconnect standard based on the PCI Express™ architecture. Synopsys is an active participant in the Arapahoe Working Group (AWG) that announced on September 30, 2003 the completion of the Advanced Switching specification and the formation of the Advanced Switching Interconnect Special Interest Group (ASI-SIG). Synopsys will participate in the newly formed ASI-SIG. The formation of the ASI-SIG is an important step to drive the Advanced Switching specification forward and to enable designers to develop scalable switched interconnect and data-fabric architectures based on the PCI Express standard.

"As a participant in the AWG and the leading provider of PCI IP, Synopsys continues to provide the industry with a reduced-risk path for bringing standards-compliant products to market quickly," said Guri Stark, vice president of marketing, Synopsys Solutions Group. "By developing the MAC and Data Link Layer of Synopsys' PCI Express Endpoint Controller as reusable elements, we have the foundation to develop the Advanced Switch IP. The DesignWare® PCI Express Endpoint Controller IP is already available for early adopters enabling Synopsys customers to integrate PCI Express functionality into their designs today."

The ASI-SIG was created to facilitate the promotion and adoption of the Advanced Switching Interconnect specification within the industry. This specification will enable a standards-based building-block approach to wireless, communications, storage, telecommunications and embedded product development, eliminating for the first time the burden of costly, time-consuming proprietary schemes. Due to widespread industry involvement in the creation of the specification, the ASI-SIG expects the standard to be ratified by year's end.

"With the broad industry adoption of PCI Express and the excitement around Advanced Switching, the rapid development of solutions using these new technologies requires the use of implementation and verification IP," said Rajeev Kumar, ASI SIG president. "Synopsys continues to show its commitment to PCI Express and the Advanced Switching standard by joining the AWG."

The Advanced Switching technology is a scalable switched interconnect and data-fabric architecture based on the PCI Express standard for interconnecting components and system boards in low- to middle-range applications. Advanced Switching is expected to provide a comprehensive array of features, including enhanced high-availability functions, peer-to-peer and multicast networking, congestion and system management, scalability, and support for virtually any networking protocol.

About Synopsys
Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS) is the world leader in electronic design automation (EDA) software for semiconductor design. The company delivers technology-leading semiconductor design and verification platforms to the global electronics market segment, enabling the development of complex systems-on-chips (SoCs). Synopsys also provides intellectual property and design services to simplify the design process and accelerate time-to-market for its customers. Synopsys is headquartered in Mountain View, California and has offices in more than 60 locations throughout North America, Europe, Japan and Asia. Visit Synopsys online at http://www.synopsys.com/.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding the expected benefits of the Advanced Switching specification and increases in demand for implementation and verification IP. These statements are based on Synopsys' current expectations and beliefs. Actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these statements as a result of difficulties encountered by IC designers implementing chips based upon the new specification, difficulties in predicting demand for PCI Express-based products and uncertainties attendant to the introduction of any new technology, as well other factors contained in Synopsys' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2003. Synopsys and DesignWare are registered trademarks of Synopsys, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks mentioned in this release are the intellectual property of their respective owners.