A path protection method includes receiving, by a source node of a first path, a path event notify message from a first node on the first path. The path event notify message includes indication information that the first path is predicted to fail. The path protection method further includes obtaining, by the source node, information about a predicted protection path. The information about the predicted protection path includes resource information of a second path useable to protect a service on the first path. The first path and the second path include the source node and a same sink node. The path protection method further includes storing, by the source node, the resource information of the second path.