By implementing a processor as a hardware description language (HDL)-coded intellectual property (IP) core, you get an exact-fit solution because you can choose the peripheral, performance, and processor mix that best suits your system needs. Hard macro implementations are essentially ASICs and do not have the same flexibility; they take so long to deploy that you can't benefit from the latest process technology. Soft core processors, on the other hand, can migrate immediately to the latest FPGA technology such as the Stratix or Cyclone FPGA series. Also, standard microprocessor-based solutions are subject to obsolescence issues, whereas Nios II-based solutions resist obsolescence because they are constructed from re-targetable HDL.