A session management method, comprising: receiving, by a first base station, a session resource release command from an access and mobility management network element AMF, wherein the session resource release command comprises N2 interface session management related information N2 SM info, and the N2 SM info comprises an identifier of one or more to-be-deactivated sessions of a terminal; determining, by the first base station, that the terminal is in an inactive mode; receiving, by the first base station, a context retrieval request message from a second base station; sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station, wherein the context retrieval response message comprises the N2 SM info; and sending, by the first base station, a session resource release success response message to the AMF; wherein before the sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station, the method further comprises: parsing, by the first base station, the N2 SM info, to obtain the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions; and wherein the sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station comprises: sending (Sill) by the second base station an RRC connection resume response message to the terminal, wherein the RRC connection resume response message comprises the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions, and the terminal deletes session-related information corresponding to the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions. receiving, by a first base station, a session resource release command from an access and mobility management network element AMF, wherein the session resource release command comprises N2 interface session management related information N2 SM info, and the N2 SM info comprises an identifier of one or more to-be-deactivated sessions of a terminal; determining, by the first base station, that the terminal is in an inactive mode; receiving, by the first base station, a context retrieval request message from a second base station; sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station, wherein the context retrieval response message comprises the N2 SM info; and sending, by the first base station, a session resource release success response message to the AMF; wherein before the sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station, the method further comprises: parsing, by the first base station, the N2 SM info, to obtain the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions; and wherein the sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station comprises: sending (Sill) by the second base station an RRC connection resume response message to the terminal, wherein the RRC connection resume response message comprises the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions, and the terminal deletes session-related information corresponding to the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions. parsing, by the first base station, the N2 SM info, to obtain the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions; and wherein the sending, by the first base station, a context retrieval response message to the second base station comprises: sending (Sill) by the second base station an RRC connection resume response message to the terminal, wherein the RRC connection resume response message comprises the identifier of the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions, and the terminal deletes session-related information corresponding to the one or more to-be-deactivated sessions.