Embodiments of this application disclose a method for deploying a virtual machine and a container, and an apparatus, to implement both container deployment and VM deployment in a MEC system. The method includes: A unified orchestration function entity receives a deployment request, and determines that a deployment manner of an application is the container deployment or the VM deployment based on the deployment request. Further, if the deployment manner of the application is the container deployment, the unified orchestration function entity sends a first resource allocation request to an architecture manager, to request the architecture manager to deploy a container that can run an instance of the application; or if the deployment manner of the application is the VM deployment, the unified orchestration function entity sends a second resource allocation request to a VIM, to request the VIM to deploy a VM that can run the instance of the application.