This application provides a data processing method and a related device, to keep data consistency between a management device and a forwarder in a multi-head management scenario. The method performed by a first management device in the plurality of management devices includes: sending a lock instruction to the forwarder; performing difference comparison between target data of the first management device and corresponding data that is on the forwarder and that corresponds to the target data to obtain a comparison result; and synchronizing the target data with the corresponding data if the first management device determines, by using the comparison result, that the target data and the corresponding data do not match, so that the target data matches the corresponding data.