A method for transmitting a request message and an apparatus are disclosed, to resolve a prior-art problem that in an ICT network, when a request message is transmitted, a probability that the request message fails to be transmitted is increased, and reliability of transmitting the request message is reduced. The method includes: determining, by a dispatcher according to information that is about a first controller and that is included in a received request message, a corresponding first driver adaptation plug-in group, where the first controller is connected to at least one driver adaptation plug-in included in the first driver adaptation plug-in group; and selecting, by the dispatcher from the at least one driver adaptation plug-in, at least one to-be-selected driver adaptation plug-in whose running status is normal, and eventually sending the request message to the first controller by using one to-be-selected driver adaptation plug-in.