A network device management method, comprising: generating, by a network device, statistical traffic data, wherein the statistical traffic data comprises one or more of a quantity of data of a port of the network device, a queue status of the network device, a quantity of data packets that pass through the network device, and a quantity of target data flows that pass through the network device, wherein the queue status comprises a queue occupancy rate, and the target data flows are data flow to be measured; and sending, by the network device, the statistical traffic data to a controller, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the network device, an instruction message sent by the controller, wherein the instruction message is used to instruct the network device to return the statistical traffic data; and the generating statistical traffic data comprises: generating the statistical traffic data according to the instruction message, wherein the instruction message comprises statistical period information; and the sending the statistical traffic data to a controller comprises: sending the statistical traffic data to the controller periodically according to the statistical period information. generating, by a network device, statistical traffic data, wherein the statistical traffic data comprises one or more of a quantity of data of a port of the network device, a queue status of the network device, a quantity of data packets that pass through the network device, and a quantity of target data flows that pass through the network device, wherein the queue status comprises a queue occupancy rate, and the target data flows are data flow to be measured; and sending, by the network device, the statistical traffic data to a controller, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the network device, an instruction message sent by the controller, wherein the instruction message is used to instruct the network device to return the statistical traffic data; and the generating statistical traffic data comprises: generating the statistical traffic data according to the instruction message, wherein the instruction message comprises statistical period information; and the sending the statistical traffic data to a controller comprises: sending the statistical traffic data to the controller periodically according to the statistical period information. receiving, by the network device, an instruction message sent by the controller, wherein the instruction message is used to instruct the network device to return the statistical traffic data; and the generating statistical traffic data comprises: generating the statistical traffic data according to the instruction message, wherein the instruction message comprises statistical period information; and the sending the statistical traffic data to a controller comprises: sending the statistical traffic data to the controller periodically according to the statistical period information. generating the statistical traffic data according to the instruction message, wherein the instruction message comprises statistical period information; and the sending the statistical traffic data to a controller comprises: sending the statistical traffic data to the controller periodically according to the statistical period information.