1. Method for reducing the number of flip-flops in a VLSI design that require data retention, thereby eliminating the respective backup cells for those flip flops, the method comprises the steps of: a. defining one or more criteria for non-essentiality of backup cells; b. during the physical design stage, analyzing the VLSI design based on said one or more criteria for non-essentiality, and finding those flip-flops that meet these criteria, wherein said analysis is performed at the gate level, independent from any higher level representation of the design; and c. eliminating from the VLSI design those backup cells for all non-essential flip-flops that meet one or more of said criteria for non-essentiality, thereby leaving in the design only those backup cells for those flip-flops that do not meet any of said criteria.