This application provides a data processing method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a master storage node, information that is about a first transaction and that is sent by a read-write node, where the information about the first transaction is used to request to perform a write operation on first data stored on the master storage node; determining, by the master storage node, the first data based on the information about the first transaction, and executing the first transaction; generating, by the master storage node, first transaction status metadata when the first transaction ends, where the first transaction status metadata includes identification information of expired data and identification information of the first transaction; and sending, by the master storage node, the first transaction status metadata to at least one read-only node. According to the data processing method and apparatus, a read delay of a read-only node can be eliminated.