In the highly competitive semiconductor industry, rapid innovation and precise design specifications are critical. A global semiconductor manufacturer with R&D centers in multiple countries, faced significant hurdles in managing and collaborating on complex integrated circuit (IC) design files. These challenges included:

• Design Data Silos: Design teams working in different geographical locations often stored and managed their work in disparate systems, including local servers and individual workstations. This made it difficult to find the latest design versions and share critical updates efficiently.
• Version Control Issues: Tracking changes and ensuring all teams were working on the most current iteration of a design proved cumbersome. Engineers frequently encountered conflicts due to working on outdated files, leading to rework and potential errors in the final product.
• Security Risks: Sensitive IC design data was vulnerable due to inconsistent access controls and the lack of a centralized audit trail. The risk of unauthorized access or accidental data leaks posed a significant threat to the company’s intellectual property.
• Inefficient Collaboration: Sharing large design files via email or file transfer protocols was time-consuming and often resulted in multiple, unsynchronized copies. Real-time collaboration and feedback on design iterations were severely limited.
• Redundant Data: Over time, numerous duplicate and outdated design files accumulated across various systems, consuming valuable storage space and making it difficult to identify the authoritative version. This ROT data also complicated internal knowledge sharing and potential future AI initiatives.