This application discloses a data packet processing method applied to a computing device in software-defined networking. After receiving a data packet of a data flow, a NIC in the computing device queries a flow table set according to matching information of the data packet; and if a flow table is obtained from the flow table set, the NIC processes the data packet according to the flow table; or if no flow table can be obtained from the flow table set, the NIC sends the data packet to a virtual switch, and the virtual switch obtains a flow table corresponding to the data flow, and saves the flow table into the flow table set, so that the NIC can directly process a subsequent data packet of the data flow. An operating load of the virtual switch is reduced, and operating efficiency of the computing device is improved.