AES Hardware Verification — SystemVerilog + DPI-C + Python

This project demonstrates hardware/software co-simulation between a SystemVerilog testbench, a C++ DPI layer, and a Python reference model.
The goal is to verify a hardware AES-128 ECB encryption core against a Python software reference through socket communication.

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🧩 Overview

The SystemVerilog testbench sends plaintext and keys to the Python server through a C DPI client.
The Python server computes the AES-128 encryption result using a software model and returns it to the testbench for comparison with the RTL DUT output.

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🗂️ Project Structure

simu-aes-sv-dpi/
├── rtl/ # RTL implementation of AES core
│ ├── aes.v
│ ├── aes_core.v
│ ├── aes_encipher_block.v
│ ├── aes_decipher_block.v
│ ├── aes_key_mem.v
│ ├── aes_sbox.v
│ └── aes_inv_sbox.v
│
├── TP/ # Testbench and simulation sources
│ ├── aes_tb.sv # SystemVerilog testbench (randomized verification)
│ ├── client.cc # C++ DPI client (socket interface)
│ ├── server.py # Python server + AES reference model interface
│ └── aes_live_test.py# Pure Python AES model (reference)
│
├── scripts/ # Helper scripts
│ ├── build_c.sh # Build the DPI shared library
│ ├── run_cli.sh # Run server + simulation in background
│ ├── run_dual.sh # Open xterm for server + run simulation
│ └── run_cov.do # ModelSim/Questa coverage script
│
├── cov/ # Coverage reports (generated)
│
└── README.md

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🚀 Running the Simulation

Option 1 — All-in-one (background server)

./scripts/build_c.sh
PORT=3002 ./scripts/run_cli.sh 200

Option 2 — Dual Terminal (xterm)

PORT=2003 ITER=200 ./scripts/run_dual.sh

Option 3 — GUI Mode (ModelSim)

In the ModelSim console:

do scripts/run_cov.do

Results will appear under cov/.

Simulation Workflow

Communication Protocol

Requirements

• Linux environment with ModelSim or QuestaSim
• Python 2.7.x (used on school server)
• g++ available for DPI compilation
• Optional: xterm for dual-terminal execution

Useful Commands

Purpose	Command
Build C shared lib	./scripts/build_c.sh
Launch server + sim	PORT=2003 ./scripts/run_cli.sh 100
Kill server manually	echo -n "STOP" nc 127.0.0.1 2003
Run in GUI mode	vsim -do scripts/run_cov.do