A data processing method, wherein the method is applied to a controller in a data center network, and comprises: receiving, by the controller, a processing request that is for a specified calculation task and that is sent by a specified node (02; V1-V8), wherein the processing request comprises identifiers of a plurality of computing nodes (02; VI-V8) configured to execute the specified calculation task, and the plurality of computing nodes comprise the specified node; determining, by the controller, a target switching device from switching devices (03; SW1-SW6) configured to connect to the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8); and separately sending, by the controller, routing information corresponding to the specified calculation task to the target switching device (03; SW1-SE6) and the specified node (02; V1-V8), wherein the routing information is used to indicate data forwarding paths between the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8) and the target switching device (03; SW1-SE6), wherein the routing information is used for the target switching device (03; SW1-SW6) to send, after the target switching device (03; SW1-SW6) combines data reported by the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8), the combined data to each computing node (02; V1-V8) based on the routing information; and wherein the processing request further comprises a combining type corresponding to the specified calculation task, and the method further comprises: sending, by the controller, the combining type corresponding to the specified calculation task to the target switching device, wherein the target switching device is configured to combine, based on the combining type, the data reported by the plurality of computing nodes. receiving, by the controller, a processing request that is for a specified calculation task and that is sent by a specified node (02; V1-V8), wherein the processing request comprises identifiers of a plurality of computing nodes (02; VI-V8) configured to execute the specified calculation task, and the plurality of computing nodes comprise the specified node; determining, by the controller, a target switching device from switching devices (03; SW1-SW6) configured to connect to the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8); and separately sending, by the controller, routing information corresponding to the specified calculation task to the target switching device (03; SW1-SE6) and the specified node (02; V1-V8), wherein the routing information is used to indicate data forwarding paths between the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8) and the target switching device (03; SW1-SE6), wherein the routing information is used for the target switching device (03; SW1-SW6) to send, after the target switching device (03; SW1-SW6) combines data reported by the plurality of computing nodes (02; V1-V8), the combined data to each computing node (02; V1-V8) based on the routing information; and wherein the processing request further comprises a combining type corresponding to the specified calculation task, and the method further comprises: sending, by the controller, the combining type corresponding to the specified calculation task to the target switching device, wherein the target switching device is configured to combine, based on the combining type, the data reported by the plurality of computing nodes.