A network slice management method, comprising: receiving, by a first management unit, a network slice management request, wherein the network slice management request carries instance information or indication information of a transport network manager, and the indication information is used to determine the instance information of the transport network manager, wherein the indication information of the transport network manager includes indication information of a network slice template, which is used to obtain the network slice template, and the network slice template includes the instance information of the transport network manager; determining, by the first management unit, a corresponding transport network manager based on the instance information of the transport network manager; and sending, by the first management unit, a transmission management request to the corresponding transport network manager based on the instance information of the transport network manager, wherein the transmission management request is used to deploy a transmission network; wherein if the network slice management request carries the indication information of the transport network manager, the network slice management method further comprises: determining, by the first management unit, the instance information based on the indication information of the transport network manager; or sending, by the first management unit, a request message which carries the indication information of the transport network manager, to a second management unit; and receiving (S303a), by the first management unit, the instance information of the transport network manager, from the second management unit. receiving, by a first management unit, a network slice management request, wherein the network slice management request carries instance information or indication information of a transport network manager, and the indication information is used to determine the instance information of the transport network manager, wherein the indication information of the transport network manager includes indication information of a network slice template, which is used to obtain the network slice template, and the network slice template includes the instance information of the transport network manager; determining, by the first management unit, a corresponding transport network manager based on the instance information of the transport network manager; and sending, by the first management unit, a transmission management request to the corresponding transport network manager based on the instance information of the transport network manager, wherein the transmission management request is used to deploy a transmission network; wherein if the network slice management request carries the indication information of the transport network manager, the network slice management method further comprises: determining, by the first management unit, the instance information based on the indication information of the transport network manager; or sending, by the first management unit, a request message which carries the indication information of the transport network manager, to a second management unit; and receiving (S303a), by the first management unit, the instance information of the transport network manager, from the second management unit. determining, by the first management unit, the instance information based on the indication information of the transport network manager; or sending, by the first management unit, a request message which carries the indication information of the transport network manager, to a second management unit; and receiving (S303a), by the first management unit, the instance information of the transport network manager, from the second management unit.