Intent negotiation method and apparatus

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a first network element, first information from a third network element, wherein the first information comprises first indication information and second indication information, the first indication information indicates that a first sub-intent is achieved, the second indication information indicates at least one second sub-intent that conflicts with the first sub-intent, and the first sub-intent is all sub-intents that are usable to achieve a first intent;
• sending, by the first network element, a third sub-intent to the third network element, wherein the third sub-intent is different from the first sub-intent, and the third sub-intent is all sub-intents that are usable to achieve the first intent;
• receiving, by the first network element, second information from the third network element, wherein the second information comprises third indication information and fourth indication information, the third indication information indicates that the third sub-intent is achieved, and the fourth indication information indicates at least one fourth sub-intent that conflicts with the third sub-intent;
• and
• performing the following:
• determining, by the first network element, the first sub-intent as an execution solution of the intent when a total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is less than a total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent;
• or
• determining, by the first network element, the third sub-intent as the execution solution of the intent when the total quantity of second sub-intents of the at least one second sub-intent is greater than or equal to the total quantity of fourth sub-intents of the at least one fourth sub-intent.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a second network element, a first sub-intent of a first intent from a first network element;
• receiving, by the second network element, a second sub-intent of the first intent and indication information from the first network element, wherein the indication information indicates that the first sub-intent and the second sub-intent have a same action and a same object;
• and
• omitting, by the second network element, translation of the second sub-intent based on the indication information.