Hardware co-simulation in system generator of the AES-128 encryption algorithm

We discuss the use of System Generator to hardware co-simulate in the FPGA versions of the AES-128 encryption algorithm. We show that the FPGA co-simulation of the AES can be achieved over 3 different bus types (TCP/IP, board-level TCP/IP, and PCI). One of the FPGA co-simulations is over 3 times faster running over a TCP/IP network distance off approximately 600 kilometres, than running a normal Simulink simulation on the host PC. Another hardware co-simulation time increases in the region of 4000% running over the PCI bus attached to the host PC. By having this FPGA co-simulation option, some of the IP cores in an FPGA system can be co-simulated, there by freeing up processing power on the host-PC for further developments in a system.