A service cluster scheduling method in a software-defined data center, wherein the software-defined data center comprises an software-defined networking, SDN, controller and multiple edge switches, the multiple edge switches are communicatively connected to the SDN controller, a service cluster is deployed in the software-defined data center, at least two online virtual machines are used as serving nodes of the service cluster, and an Internet Protocol, IP address of the at least two online virtual machines is configured as a shared IP address; and the method comprises: receiving, by the SDN controller, a service request packet of a user reported by a second edge switch, wherein the second edge switch is an edge switch accessed by the user; determining, by the SDN controller according to destination IP address information in the service request packet, a service cluster corresponding to the service request packet; selecting, by the SDN controller, a target virtual machine from the online virtual machines in the service cluster according to a load balancing policy, wherein the target virtual machine is configured to provide a service for the user; generating, by the SDN controller, a first forwarding flow table and a second forwarding flow table, wherein the first forwarding flow table is used by an edge switch of the target virtual machine to forward a packet, and the second forwarding flow table is used by the second edge switch to forward a packet, the second forwarding flow table includes an execution action of encapsulating a forwarding path to the edge switch of the target virtual machine, and sending the service request packet to an ingress of a core network, and the first forwarding flow table includes an execution action of sending the service request packet to the target virtual machine; delivering, by the SDN controller, the first forwarding flow table to the edge switch of the target virtual machine, and delivering, by the SDN controller, the second forwarding flow table to the second edge switch. receiving, by the SDN controller, a service request packet of a user reported by a second edge switch, wherein the second edge switch is an edge switch accessed by the user; determining, by the SDN controller according to destination IP address information in the service request packet, a service cluster corresponding to the service request packet; selecting, by the SDN controller, a target virtual machine from the online virtual machines in the service cluster according to a load balancing policy, wherein the target virtual machine is configured to provide a service for the user; generating, by the SDN controller, a first forwarding flow table and a second forwarding flow table, wherein the first forwarding flow table is used by an edge switch of the target virtual machine to forward a packet, and the second forwarding flow table is used by the second edge switch to forward a packet, the second forwarding flow table includes an execution action of encapsulating a forwarding path to the edge switch of the target virtual machine, and sending the service request packet to an ingress of a core network, and the first forwarding flow table includes an execution action of sending the service request packet to the target virtual machine; delivering, by the SDN controller, the first forwarding flow table to the edge switch of the target virtual machine, and delivering, by the SDN controller, the second forwarding flow table to the second edge switch.