A forwarding path selection method, comprising: receiving , by a sender device, a data packet to be sent to a target device; and if the data packet is a start packet of a flowlet in which the data packet is located, selecting , by the sender device, a low-load path from a plurality of paths to forward the data packet; and setting a forwarding decision of a flow in which the data packet is located to the selected path; wherein: each of the plurality of paths connects the sender device to the target device via one of a plurality of intermediate devices; wherein: load of each of the plurality of paths is load of traffic received by a corresponding intermediate device from the sender device or load of traffic sent by a corresponding intermediate device to the target device, whichever is higher; load of traffic received by the plurality of intermediate devices from the sender device is measured by the sender device; load of traffic sent by the plurality of intermediate devices to the target device is measured by the target device; and the plurality of intermediate devices do not measure load of traffic. receiving , by a sender device, a data packet to be sent to a target device; and if the data packet is a start packet of a flowlet in which the data packet is located, selecting , by the sender device, a low-load path from a plurality of paths to forward the data packet; and setting a forwarding decision of a flow in which the data packet is located to the selected path; wherein: each of the plurality of paths connects the sender device to the target device via one of a plurality of intermediate devices; wherein: load of each of the plurality of paths is load of traffic received by a corresponding intermediate device from the sender device or load of traffic sent by a corresponding intermediate device to the target device, whichever is higher; load of traffic received by the plurality of intermediate devices from the sender device is measured by the sender device; load of traffic sent by the plurality of intermediate devices to the target device is measured by the target device; and the plurality of intermediate devices do not measure load of traffic. each of the plurality of paths connects the sender device to the target device via one of a plurality of intermediate devices; wherein: load of each of the plurality of paths is load of traffic received by a corresponding intermediate device from the sender device or load of traffic sent by a corresponding intermediate device to the target device, whichever is higher; load of traffic received by the plurality of intermediate devices from the sender device is measured by the sender device; load of traffic sent by the plurality of intermediate devices to the target device is measured by the target device; and the plurality of intermediate devices do not measure load of traffic. load of each of the plurality of paths is load of traffic received by a corresponding intermediate device from the sender device or load of traffic sent by a corresponding intermediate device to the target device, whichever is higher; load of traffic received by the plurality of intermediate devices from the sender device is measured by the sender device; load of traffic sent by the plurality of intermediate devices to the target device is measured by the target device; and the plurality of intermediate devices do not measure load of traffic. <EOS>