A method for generating forwarding information includes generating, by a controller, first forwarding information, wherein the first forwarding information comprises an identifier of a service chain comprising a first service processing entity (SPE) attached to a first service forwarding entity (SFE); generating, by the controller, second forwarding information, wherein the second forwarding information comprises the identifier of the service chain comprising a second SPE attached to a second SFE; sending, by the controller, the first forwarding information to the first SFE; and sending, by the controller, the second forwarding information to the second SFE. Hence, the controller generates forwarding information for the SFE such that a service chaining technology can be applied to a service environment in which a large quantity of services and a large quantity of service processing function units exist.