A rule management method, comprising: receiving, by a first network device, first indication information from an MME via serving gateway, S-GW, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate that a terminal is in a suspended state; and receiving, by the first network device, a first request from a second network device, wherein the first request is used to request to update a policy and charging control rule of the terminal; storing, by the first network device, the policy and charging control rule of the terminal that is updated based on the first request; starting, by the first network device, a timer; if receiving, by the first network device, third indication information before the timer expires, executing, by the first network device, the policy and charging control rule of the terminal, wherein the third indication information is used to indicate status resumption of the terminal; and if the timer expires and the third indication information is not received, sending, by the first network device, second indication information to the second network device, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal is currently in a suspended state, and update of the policy and charging control rule fails; wherein the first network device is a policy and charging enforcement function, PCEF, located in a packet data network gateway, P-GW, the second network device is a policy and charging control function, PCRF; and after the sending, by the first network device, second indication information to a second network device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the first network device, third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state; and sending, by the first network device, fourth indication information to the second network device, wherein the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state. receiving, by a first network device, first indication information from an MME via serving gateway, S-GW, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate that a terminal is in a suspended state; and receiving, by the first network device, a first request from a second network device, wherein the first request is used to request to update a policy and charging control rule of the terminal; storing, by the first network device, the policy and charging control rule of the terminal that is updated based on the first request; starting, by the first network device, a timer; if receiving, by the first network device, third indication information before the timer expires, executing, by the first network device, the policy and charging control rule of the terminal, wherein the third indication information is used to indicate status resumption of the terminal; and if the timer expires and the third indication information is not received, sending, by the first network device, second indication information to the second network device, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal is currently in a suspended state, and update of the policy and charging control rule fails; wherein the first network device is a policy and charging enforcement function, PCEF, located in a packet data network gateway, P-GW, the second network device is a policy and charging control function, PCRF; and after the sending, by the first network device, second indication information to a second network device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the first network device, third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state; and sending, by the first network device, fourth indication information to the second network device, wherein the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state. receiving, by the first network device, third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state; and sending, by the first network device, fourth indication information to the second network device, wherein the fourth indication information is used to indicate that the terminal returns to a normal state.