A connection management method includes: detecting relevant information about a terminal device; and based on the relevant information about the terminal device, determining whether to adjust the type of a connection path between the terminal device and a first forwarding plane, wherein the type of the connection path between the terminal device and the first forwarding plane at least includes: a first-type path being a connection path directly established, through an access network, between the terminal device and the first forwarding plane, and a second-type path being a connection path established, through the access network via a second forwarding plane, between the terminal device and the first forwarding plane.