1. Purpose and scope
Software is usually the longest path to a working product, and on a platform it is shared by every derivative. A virtual platform lets that software start before any silicon or even any RTL exists: it is a set of executable, fast models of the processors, memory, interconnect and peripherals of the reference architecture, accurate enough at the hardware to software interface for boot code, firmware, drivers and operating systems to run unchanged. Because the platform has variation points, the virtual platform is built to be configured for each product rather than built once per chip.
Two kinds of model are kept apart. The virtual platform is functionally accurate and fast, so software teams can boot an operating system and run their tests many times a day. The performance and power model is slower and timing-aware, used by architects to check that each product's workloads meet their budgets. Both are released with their fidelity and limits stated, because software that passes on a model can still fail on silicon if the model was trusted beyond what it represents.
In scope: the virtual platform, its user guide, configurations for the lead product and the planned derivatives, the performance and power model kept in step with the architecture, the first board support package and platform software running on the model, and the prototyping plan for emulation and FPGA prototypes. Out of scope: running the RTL itself at speed, which belongs to Emulation & FPGA Prototyping, and the platform software features, which are completed in Software Platform & Tools.
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