omputer- assisted software engineering (CASE) tools for higher productivity on traditional development sta- tions (PCs or workstations). Cross-compilation, debugging, and linking with appropriate vendor libraries would eventually create the executable code that would be burned into ROM form. At mask preparation time, the semiconductor fab would personalize the ROM cell of the SOC with the binary executable ROMable code and the system would work (if it was properly debugged). New methodologies and toolsets were developed for the joint co-development of hardware and software to minimize the risks of failure at silicon time (a very expensive problem). 43,44,45,46 For the most part, anything one desires is currently essentially available in the IP core market. With rather modest integrated systems design capabilities and with some handholding from a semi- conductor manufacturer or a credible fabless design house, an SOC can be put together in a straight- forward manner. The word fabless has come about because these companies do not possess their own semicon- ductor manufacturing plant, which is known as a fab. Numerous fabless companies have appeared on the SOC horizon. This is changing the landscape and the industry forever since no one organization possesses the resources, skills, or specialization to come up with the optimal circuitry that implements a function. The traditional make-or-buy debate has taken an altogether new dimension of importance in light of the shrinking product life spans, cut-throat competition, and an ever-changing market landscape where a new product becomes obsolete barely a few months after it is launched. THE QUEST FOR BANDWIDTH AND QOS The rapid evolution of technology for the desktop and mobile computing (PDAs and wireless hand- sets) has created a huge array of applications that until recently were unimaginable. These applica- tions were developed for corporate and organizational users, as well as for casual consumers in their homes. The performance expectations are getting higher and 