Virtual network communication method, device, and system

A second session management network element, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second session management network element to:
• send, in a process in which a second terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group establishes a session, a first message to a group session management network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the second terminal device and an identifier of the second session management network element;
• receive a second message from the group session management network element, wherein the second message comprises an identifier of a first terminal device belonging to the first virtual network group, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving the first terminal device, wherein the first user plane network element is managed by a first session management network element;
• and
• configure, based on the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element managed by the second session management network element, wherein the first forwarding rule indicates the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the second user plane network element sends the first data packet to the first terminal device.

A communication system, wherein the communication system comprises:

• a group session management network element and a second session management network element,
• the group session management network element is configured to obtain tunnel information of a first user plane network element serving a first terminal device belonging to a first virtual network group, wherein the first user plane network element is managed by a first session management network element;
• the group session management network element is further configured to send a first message to the second session management network element, wherein the first message comprises an identifier of the first terminal device, an identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element;
• and
• the second session management network element is configured to:
• receive the first message from the group session management network element, and configure, based on the identifier of the first terminal device, the identifier of the first virtual network group, and the tunnel information of the first user plane network element, a first forwarding rule on a second user plane network element managed by the second session management network element, wherein the first forwarding rule is configured to indicate to the second user plane network element to send a first data packet to the first user plane network element when one terminal device that belongs to the first virtual network group and that is served by the second user plane network element sends the first data packet to the first terminal device.